Hooray for snow, snow, snow in the Sierra

SODA SPRINGS, Calif. - The rain is falling and the snow is blanketing California just in time for the holidays. 

The National Weather Service said that a northern hemispheric pattern has "ratcheted up a notch or two," which will bring a deep and cold trough with rain and mountain snow. 

And indeed there was mountain snow. 

The Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab in Soda Springs, which sits at an elevation of nearly 7,000 feet in Nevada County, said it received 5.1 inches of snow overnight as the official measurement on Thursday and scientists were expecting up to two inches more.

The California Highway Patrol in Truckee early Thursday that cars were spinning out on Interstate 80 near Donner Summit and they reminded drivers they needed to put chains on their cars. 

Tim LeRoy, spokesman for Mammoth Mountain ski resort, said already, nine inches have blanketed the slopes and more feet are expected to fall through the weekend. 

Meanwhile, at lower elevations, rain was continuing to drizzle early Thursday morning throughout the Bay Area.

Meteorologists said residents should brace for a much bigger storm Sunday through Tuesday. In fact, the weather service said this latest atmospheric river is expected to soak the Bay Area in 1 to 3 inches of rain over the weekend.