Enjoy the sun on New Year’s Day because it will be replaced Tuesday by rain and other “unsettled weather” that will continue through Thursday.
Fortunately, the amount of rain arriving with this Pacific storm should mostly be “beneficial” — about half an inch inland and up 1.5 to 2 inches near the coast, forecasters at the National Weather Service said. If there is any coastal flooding, forecasters said it should be “minimal.”
Forecasters also have not yet issued any of the high-surf warnings that were in effect on Saturday, when powerful waves pounded the coast, particularly beaches in Santa Cruz County. This northwest swell had diminished by Sunday, forecasters said. However, the new storm could bring strong winds and gusty conditions over the ocean by the middle of the week, and forecasters will reevaluate conditions then to see if any warnings are necessary.
Forecasters expect a brief respite from the rain on Thursday, with mostly dry conditions that day, followed by another storm starting Friday, with the possibility of snow levels dropping to 2,000 to 4,000 feet by Sunday. Any planning to travel in the mountains over the weekend should check weather forecasts before leaving.
With rain coming to the Bay Area, snow is expected to fall on and off in the Sierra and the greater Lake Tahoe area through the week, starting Tuesday night as temperatures drop to the 20s and low 30s. Snow is definitely expected Wednesday, as the day-time high tops out at 34 degrees, while forecasters say there is a chance of snow expected on Thursday and Friday. Heavy snow is expected on Saturday, with highs reaching 29 to 34, and on Saturday night, when temperatures could drop to as low as 8 to 18 degrees.