California is about to head into an intensely stormy period. Two powerful systems are set to bring destructive rains and winds, in what is setting up to be a one-two punch that could lead to life-threatening impacts in the areas hit hardest.
The storm landing later today will bring heavy rain and destructive winds, and officials are warning of downed trees, power outages and dangerous roads during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. High wind warnings and wind advisories are in effect for much of the state, but tonight’s wind forecast remains uncertain. Just how extreme the system will be and which areas will get hit hardest depends on atmospheric conditions in the next hours.
The “Now-Cast”:The Chronicle’s newsroom meteorologists are tracking live data and weather models throughout the day to update you on this storm’s strength and path. As of mid-morning Tuesday, weather in the Bay Area won’t get stormy until late afternoon/evening. Light showers and breezes are on tap. In the Sierras, snow and winds will increase tonight through Wednesday, but Thursday to Friday are the days to watch for very heavy snow and whiteout conditions at times. Mountain travel should be done by tonight if possible.
- Live storm tracker: See where rain is hitting California and Bay Area
- Flood risk map: See which neighborhoods near you are danger zones
California weather warnings and watches
It appears that nearly every county in California currently is under some kind of weather advisory. Here are all of the latest weather warnings, watches and advisories across the state:
Timeline for peak impacts of storm
The worst impacts of the storm in the Bay Area are expected to be from 7 p.m. Tuesday through 7 a.m. Wednesday, but it’s still a close call on whether it will meet bomb cyclone criteria, and there’s high uncertainty in the short-range forecast about the system’s strength. Tuesday night could end up as a strong but run-of-the-mill windstorm; however, there’s a chance for a much more powerful low-pressure system that causes destructive wind damage from San Francisco northward…