As a low pressure system begins to construct Friday, the Bay Area will see the primary of several rounds of rain and gusty winds, in accordance with a briefing from the National Weather Service forecast office in Monterey.
“This pattern is expected to continue through Christmas Day,” forecasters said within the press conference.
To the east, an analogous scenario will play out within the Sacramento Valley, foothills and mountains, where greater than 2 inches of rain is predicted to fall between Saturday and Monday, in accordance with Sacramento officials advisory issued by the NWS forecast office in Sacramento.
Snow levels are expected to be about 7,000 to eight,000 feet above sea level during this era, but will drop as colder air arrives on Christmas Eve, forecasters said.
“Leisure travel to the mountains could be impacted by periods of moderate snowfall and gusty winds during the week,” the Sacramento forecast office warned in a separate release.
Meteorologists say persistent rain within the Bay Area from this weekend into next week will increase the possibility of flooding. The low pressure system can also be expected to bring large breaking waves – some as much as 20 feet high – Monday into Tuesday.
The first round of rain is predicted to reach within the North Bay on Friday and spread to the remainder of the region by Saturday. Further rounds will follow on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
From Friday through Tuesday, precipitation could reach 2 inches in San Francisco, 1.7 inches within the East Bay, 1.5 inches on the Peninsula and 0.9 inches within the South Bay.
Until then, dry conditions will proceed until Thursday, forecasters said, adding that the region will see cool morning temperatures, especially in inland valleys.
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