Heat Wave Over; Rain Set To Return For Evening Commute
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – A heat wave that brought three days of record warmth to Northern California was driven away Wednesday by a pair of winter storm fronts that could dump nearly an inch of rain in San Francisco.
The National Weather Service said winds will increase throughout the day with rains starting mid-afternoon. Forecaster Steve Anderson in the service's Monterey office said a wind advisory was in place until 7 p.m.
According to KPIX's Roberta Gonzales, the heaviest rainfall will occur in the coastal ranges. When the storms finally move out of the Bay Area on Friday, it will likely dump up to nearly an inch of rain in San Francisco, 1.04 inches in Napa and 0.68 of an inch in Concord.
While showers were expected, it was the gusty winds that had local utility crews on the ready. The winds by late afternoon will be coming from the south to southwest with some gusts measuring 50 mph.
The winds have also created havoc at San Francisco International Airport. According to airport officials, 35 departing flights and 35 arriving flights have been cancelled as of 10:30 a.m. Most of those flights were to and from places along the West Coast.
Flight delays were averaging about 15 to 30 minutes by 11 a.m. according to SFO officials.
Travelers are advised to call ahead to see if their flight has been cancelled.
Officials also warned local residents to be prepared for power outages as the winds were likely to toppled trees and cause branches to fall.
A mixture of rain and snow was also expected to hit the Sierra Nevada late Wednesday with the heaviest snows falling overnight.
The National Weather Service expects about 1 to 2 feet of fresh snow at highest peaks, with snow rates of 2 to 3 inches an hour.
Meteorologist Edan Weishahn said combine that with gusting winds and drivers may face low visibility and white-out conditions Wednesday night.
Already, there are reports of downed power lines in Truckee where winds are about 35 miles per hour. Weishahn says winds in the area could hit 50 to 60 miles per hour.
The system moving into California from the north should be in and out quickly, leaving the forecast for Thursday cold and breezy with some leftover snowfall.
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