The ongoing storm pattern across the West won’t let up as the weekend progresses, AccuWeather meteorologists say. As the storm moves further inland and across the northern Rocky Mountains early this weekend with pouring rain and mountain snow, a new storm will begin brewing offshore by late Sunday, moving ever closer to the coast.

“Through Saturday, a plume of subtropical Pacific moisture coinciding with a strong frontal system will continue to produce a period of very heavy rain across Northern California, including the Bay Area and the Sacramento Valley, while heavy snow in the order of magnitude develops in the Sierra… spread several feet,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Grady Gilman.

This latest storm has brought not only flooding rains but also severe thunderstorms to some locations in Northern and Central California.

A rare tornado warning was issued for San Francisco County and northwestern San Mateo County early Saturday morning around 6 a.m. PST, indicating that there was a severe thunderstorm nearby that could produce a tornado. Although it is rare for tornadoes to touch down in Central California, it is not entirely unheard of. Shortly after the warning was issued, a wind gust of 83 miles per hour was reported at San Francisco International Airport as the severe storms rolled across the Bay Area.

Meteorologists also noted that strong winds in the lower layers of the atmosphere, known as low-level jets, also created very gusty conditions elsewhere in the region, from the mountains and valleys down to the coast. Gusts in the 40 to 60 mph range occurred along the coast Friday through Saturday, with local wind speeds of up to 80 mph.

“While winds of this magnitude can cause power outages, the situation is completely different in the Sierra, where the highest peaks can experience wind gusts in excess of 100 miles per hour,” Gilman explained.

As the storm quickly moves inland throughout the day on Saturday, locations along coastal California will begin to dry out and winds will quickly subside.

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“The heaviest rain fell across Northern California Friday night into Saturday morning, with a total of 1 to 2 inches across the Bay Area. Amounts are significantly higher in the northern North Bay Area and amounts are significantly higher on the western slopes in the higher terrain of the Northern California coast, where 2 to 4 inches of rain fell, locally 6 inches,” Gilman noted.

Conditions will remain stormy across the Northwest states early in the week as a separate storm currently brewing offshore moves into Washington, Oregon and Northern California.

While the coming storm won’t be quite as strong or influential as previous storms, forecasters say it could still bring localized flooding precipitation and widespread, strong winds soon after the first round of storms. Residents across the region who are still in the process of cleaning up wind damage or those beginning the process of restoring power to their homes and businesses can expect another round of active weather conditions toward the end of the weekend.

“The next storm will focus on a larger portion of the Pacific Northwest and northern Intermountain West Sunday night through Monday, bringing periods of rain and mountain snow to Northern California. The highest peaks of the Cascades could see more than 2 feet of snow and accumulate to pass levels,” Gilman explained.

The strongest winds will be confined primarily to mountain peaks in the Cascades, northern portions of the Sierra Range and coastal regions between late Sunday and Monday.

Gilman also noted that the timing of the storm front coincides with the Monday morning commute and may cause traffic congestion on roads and highways, resulting in slower travel. When crossing the passes, the roads can be snowy and slippery.

AccuWeather meteorologists continue to warn that locations along the West Coast will not escape waves of rain and mountain snow over the next week or longer, as the overall weather pattern suggests more storms are likely to churn the West Coast.

“While a break in the busy pattern is expected midweek, another series of storms will return next weekend and early the following week,” Gilman added.

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