A storm is rolling into the Bay Area: here's what to expect
OAKLAND calif., - A storm is brewing in the Bay Area. Wind, cold temperatures, rain, snow and low elevation snow could arrive as early as Tuesday afternoon.
According to meteorologist, strong wind will be felt first. The winds will be blowing at 25-35 MPH with gusts possible up to 65 MPH.
A high wind advisory will be in effect from Tuesday at 1 p.m. to Wednesday at 1 p.m.
According to the National Weather Service, strong winds could knock down power lines and trees.
Cold temperatures will move in starting Wednesday. A frost advisory will go into effect at midnight on Wednesday and last through 9 a.m. Thursday morning.
A winter storm warning will go into effect im the mountains at 4 p.m. on Tuesday and extend through Saturday morning.
Snow fall is likely to start up late Wednesday and could stick around through Friday. Snow will fall in the mountains and in lower elevations. Snow could fall as low as 500 feet.
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Anywhere from one to three feet of snow is expected to fall in low elevation areas. Three to four feet of snow is expected in the mountain.
Travel through the mountains will be dangerous throughout the storm.
One climate scientist said that nearly everyone living in California will be able to see snow this week if they look in the right direction.
It is unlikely that snow will fall in California's major cities.
Rain will fall off and on throughout the storm. Here are estimated rainfall totals by the end of the week in the Bay Area:
San Francisco-- 1.65 inches
San Jose-- 1.94 inches
Santa Rosa-- 2.10 inches
Monterey-- 2.08 inches
The expected precipitation is more good news for the Sierra Nevada snowpack, which supplies about a third of California’s water.
The snowpack is above average due to early winter atmospheric rivers that hit the state but water officials have worried that the gains could be eroded if the rest of winter returned to the dry conditions that fueled years of drought.