The Bay Area is in the midst of a persistent cold snap that brought a smattering of snow to some of the region's higher peaks over the weekend and is expected to linger for the rest of the week.
As rainstorms and a cold air mass pushed southward through the Bay Area overnight Saturday and into Sunday, they left behind decent rain totals and a light dusting of snow.
"Late Saturday night into Sunday, cold air moved in and snow levels dropped down to about 3,500 feet," National Weather Service Meteorologist Roger Gass said Monday.
The highest elevations of the Mayacamas Mountains in the North Bay, the Diablo Range in the East Bay and the Santa Lucia Range along the Central Coast all saw anywhere from less than an inch to 3 inches in places, Gass said.
Some areas even experienced snow-related driving hazards, which led the California Highway Patrol to close a stretch of State Highway 29 in Napa County between Calistoga and the Lake County line.
"We are turning dry now that the system is shifting further and further south to Southern California," he said.
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As rain departed the Bay Area, it left behind a high-pressure system that has trapped in the colder, mostly clear air and no significant meteorological changes are expected to push that out for the next seven days or so.
"The Bay Area is going to see more widespread temperatures dropping into the 30s tonight and into the morning and throughout the remainder of the week," Gass said.
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In the inland valley areas, overnight lows could drop into the 20s, with daytime highs hovering around the low- to mid-50s for most of the region.
"It's going to be cold for several nights and the vulnerable unsheltered populations are going to be at greatest risk," Gass said.
He also reminded people to take care of outdoor pets while the frigid temperatures persist.
