Weather Alert: Rain and Local Mountain Snow Tonight

A chilly storm system drops into the region overnight producing brief downpours, the risk of isolated thunder w/ small hail and air cold enough to support snow down to near 3,500’. The peak for the rain should be near midnight to mid-morning Christmas Day, though showers will likely continue into the afternoon hours as well before decreasing in coverage and intensity by evening. Top rain totals are expected near the Santa Cruz mtns, with lesser amounts likely for inland areas due to the track of the storm dropping down the coast into SoCal. A few more rain showers will be possible mainly for areas south of San Jose and Santa Cruz into early Thursday morning as the low tracks inland to our south into Southern California. Drier weather should resume through Saturday with another chance for rain returning later on Sunday.