Snow a big draw at Mount Diablo on this cold and rainy day

CONCORD, Calif. - California and the Bay Area can go long periods without rain, but when the rain arrives, it can cause big messes like slow traffic due to wet roads. 

However, the weather system that brought rain to the Bay Area brought something that many people did not mind at all – snow on Mount Diablo. 

While visitors often come to the mountain to take in picturesque views of the East Bay, the big draw Thursday was the snow. 

“From the city, like you could see the snow in the mountain. It’s pretty,” said Marissa Vera of Concord. 

One local man is familiar with snow, but he brought his dog, Blue to experience the light coating for the first time. He told us he remained cautious because he was unsure of how the frigid temperatures would affect his four-legged friend. 

“I take him for a walk, bring him back. I don’t want his paws to get too cold,” said Mohammed Hatefi.

Mount Diablo visitors who wanted to drive to the top of the mountain discovered that they could only travel so far via car.

Park rangers closed the road at 3,000-feet elevations because of the snow and whiteout conditions. 

Those who wanted to go to the top with their sled would have to hike the more than three miles due to the closer of Summit Rd leading to Diablo Overlook. 

While many were flocking to the snow on the mountain, the same weather system dumped rain on East Bay cities, which caused problems in some areas. 

Flooding closed Verona Avenue between Linda Mesa and Alice Court in Danville. It reopened a few hours later. 

Several miles away in Moraga, roughly 1,800 customers at one point were without power amid bitterly closed temperatures.

The park service at Mount Diablo said that by Thursday evening much of the snow was already melting, but cautioned that the road traversing the mountain remained slick. 

As a result, Summit Road at Diablo Overlook will remain closed Friday.