COLD, BLUSTERY AND WET STORM ARRIVES ACROSS CALIFORNIA

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THE BIG PICTURE

A very cold, very blustery storm will bring periods of rain and temperatures well below normal across the North Bay through Saturday.

SHORT TERM

The satellite loop on Thursday tells the story. A modified arctic outbreak is headed straight for California (lower right).

The cold air plunging south over the ocean has picked up lots of moisture (popcorn shaped clouds) from the relatively warmer ocean. This is a perfect setup for cold and showery weather for the North Bay, and big snows for the Sierra and other mountains of Northern and Central California.

The storm will come in two main waves, the strongest one from Friday afternoon through Saturday.

The highest winds will follow the main rain bands, with a peak on Thursday and again Friday afternoon into early Saturday with gusts from 35-45mph possible across the North Bay.

In the North Bay we should pick up between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain by Tuesday. 3 inches plus is possible in the coastal hills. But, due to orographic enhancement (upslope flow) of the moist unstable air, the Sierra may pick up the equivalent of 9-12 inches of precipitation (almost all snow above 5K feet).

And, it will be cold, with temperatures from Friday through Sunday up to 15 degrees below normal as the cold air mass moves over California. That means highs in the North Bay ranging from the upper 40s to low 50s, and lows from 35-45.

Up in the Sierra, a snowstorm of historic proportions will be underway over the next three days. With cold, moist unstable air being forced by a powerful jet streak aimed directly at the western slope, up to 140 inches of snow may fall at the crest by Monday.

Snowfall totals of 6-8 feet will be common above 5 thousand feet with snow down to the foothills (1K feet) by Sunday.

LONG RANGE

The current storm will clear out by Monday, but another may be arriving late on Tuesday the 5th and continue into the 6th. However this one will not be nearly as strong, or cold as the weekend storm. More updates to come!