Freezing times and flood gates.

Sunsets are about to get a whole lot cloudier.

It is freezing.  When I got out of the water this evening, my hands began to hurt on the way to the car.  I should have worn gloves.  And it was even in the afternoon.  Freezing temperatures are the name of the game the next two mornings, even right down along the coast.  Forget about it in the Central Valley, where lows are hanging out in the 20s for four or more hours.  Geez.  Don't forget to grab some gloves for your morning commute.  Days are quite a bit cooler than it has been for the last month.  I mean, did you feel the pattern change?  Sure, the sun is still out, but this is a whole different weather pattern than we have been seeing.  This one comes from the Arctic.  And that sun won't be out for long.

Tuesday and Wednesday will be your last mostly sunny days for some time.  Get done what you need to get done.  By later int he day Wednesday rain will begin moving down from northern California.  It will fill in from north to south.  The air temps will be a bit warmer, especially at night.  By Thursday night we can expect lows only dropping to 40F and high reaching for about 60F on Friday.  Light to moderate rain will become heavier and more widespread on Friday.  Saturday could be a touch cooler, but with some breaks in the weather, as the rain returns to a more showery condition.  But don't expect much in the way of sunshine.  Still, could be light enough for some hikes to the newly formed waterfalls.  Another system will approach by late on Sunday and good chances for another around Tuesday.  At this point the Sunday storm looks colder and stronger.  Looks like things will clear by middle of next week.

Of course, details and timing will adjust as we move closer.  But the jist of it is rain is coming for the next week.  All told, it looks like up to two inches of rain around the Bay by late Saturday and maybe another two by Tuesday.  Even more after that.  This is by no means an epic run of rain, but by far the biggest we have seen this season.  We could see some brief periods of minor urban flooding.  Commutes will be slower and more challenging beginning Thursday.  And for the ski season, this is big news.  It will definitely be better than it has been.  The Sierra Crest and Tahoe could see upwards of five feet of snow.  Enough to give us at least a little bit of a base.  So get ready for a change of pace.

Cool and clear through Wednesday.  Rain then lasts for a week.  Perhaps some breaks, but cool and wet.