Winter Storms To Bring Cold, Wind, Possibly Snow To Bay Area

BAY AREA — After basking in mild temperatures over a long weekend, two winter storms will bring freezing temperatures, high winds, and possibly rain, snow and hail to the Bay Area over the next week. High winds and cold temperatures are expected Tuesday through Wednesday, and precipitation is expected Wednesday night into Friday.

A cold front blowing into the Bay Area on Tuesday night could dump up to 18 inches of snow in the coastal mountains south of Monterey and provide at least a dusting to elevations as low as 500 feet by the time it's over Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

In a briefing issued shortly after 5 a.m. Tuesday, the weather service added a winter storm watch to the forecast beginning Thursday for the higher elevations of the coastal mountains south of San Francisco Bay.

The Santa Clara and Diablo ranges in the South Bay could get between 8-12 inches of snow by Saturday, and the Santa Cruz Mountains could see 4-8 inches. North Bay mountains near Sonoma County could also see snow, National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Garcia told Patch.

Populated regions across the Bay Area may see a bit of snow mixed in with rain and possibly hail throughout the week, according to Garcia. “We could see some locally intense showers that could bring short bursts of rainfall as well as potential for small hail or even a snowflake or two, but nothing that we’re expecting to cause any flooding at all,” he said.

Precipitation may not be a given, but cold weather and high winds are. The National Weather Service has placed the Bay Area under several different advisories that vary by time depending on location. The East Bay is under a Wind Advisory from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday afternoon, and a Freeze Watch Thursday morning. Coastal areas are also under a Wind Advisory Tuesday to Wednesday, a Frost Advisory Thursday morning, and a High Surf Advisory from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday afternoon.

Gusts of up to 55 mph will be possible along the coasts and hillsides, while some of the tallest peaks can expect 65 mph winds. Further inland, gusts are still expected to climb to about 40 mph Tuesday afternoon, and continue into Wednesday.

These heavy winds will make already chilly temperatures feel even colder. The wind chill is expected to bring Tuesday night temperatures down to 30 degrees across the Bay Area. Some parts of interior valleys can expect temperatures in the upper 20s this week. Afternoon highs are expected to rise to the upper 40s and lows 50s along the coast, and mid-30s to low 40s in higher elevations.

Visit AccuWeather for your complete local forecast.

— Bay City News contributed to this report.