Frigid Blast of Cold Air Sends Chill Over New Year's Eve

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A plume of frigid air floated down the West Coast from Alaska and into the San Francisco Bay Area early Friday, sending temperatures tumbling below freezing in some low laying areas and on local mountain peaks.

Forecasters said that at 6 a.m. temperatures in Santa Rose where at 30 degrees, Napa at 32 degrees, Concord at 35 degrees, Livermore at 36 degrees and Oakland International Airport at 38.

"Some places are 10 degrees colder right now than they were yesterday," said KPIX 5 Meotorlogist Darren Peck.

Daytime highs across the Bay Area were expected to climb into the 50s, but it's the clear skies that will quickly drain off the heat during the evening and overnight hours.

"Some areas of the Bay Area are going to be close to freezing by midnight," Peck predicted for New Year's Eve.

The cold snap had helped maintain the snowpack that accumulated over nearly two weeks of stormy weather on top of Bay Area mountain peaks.

Sonoma County health officials issued a cold weather warning for Friday through Monday and recommending that local residents limit time outdoors because medical conditions including hypothermia and frostbite can occur with prolonged exposure to cold weather.

They said temperatures could drop to the upper 20s and 30s in some areas of the Wine Country.

Meanwhile, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District was calling on the region's residents to forego burning wood in their fireplaces and wood stoves this weekend to prevent air pollution.

While air quality was not expected to be poor during the New Year's holiday weekend and the district has not issued a Spare the Air alert, officials were still discouraging wood burning to prevent poor indoor and outdoor air quality.

The district has also asked residents to not set off fireworks, which can also contribute to air pollution and create excess smoke and ash.

"Let's all celebrate the New Year and protect the health of our family and neighbors by refraining from wood burning and personal fireworks displays," district executive director Jack Broadbent said. "Both wood burning and fireworks can create significant air pollution in our neighborhoods."

According to the district, wood smoke contains small particles and carcinogens that can make the air unhealthy, especially for children, older adults and people suffering from respiratory illnesses.