Winter Storms Barreling Toward Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – A pair of winter storms took aim at the Bay Area Thursday, packing with them strong winds, heavy downpours, pounding surf and near white-out conditions for the Sierra.
The first wave was expected to run into Northern California Thursday evening with a second punch expected to arrive Friday night.
In all, the storms were forecasted to drop as much as 2.5 inches inland and up to 4 inches in the coastal mountains.
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The Sierra can expect another 2 feet or more of fresh snow.
AAA Northern California was warning drivers to be prepared for difficult conditions during the morning commute in the Bay Area.
"The combination of poorly maintained vehicles and driver error, along with loss of visibility and slick roads, cause thousands of preventable crashes each year," AAA spokeswoman Cynthia Harris said in a statement.
The California Highway Patrol was advising commuters to give themselves some extra time to reach their morning destinations.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood advisory for the Bay Area from 6 a.m. until 1 p.m. Friday.
Forecasters predicted a combination of a King Tide, runoff from the rain and pounding surf could threaten low-lying areas.
Along the coast, the NWS said westerly swells will increase to 12 to 16 feet with 15 to 17 seconds in between sets.
After the storms pass, forecasters predict several days of dry weather with a storms possibly returning late in the week.
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