By Khalida Sarwari
Rainy weather is marking the first day of winter today, with showers expected to increase throughout the holiday week, according to the National Weather Service.
Today’s winter solstice marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It also marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year, with sunset expected at 4:55 p.m.
National Weather Service meteorologist Bob Benjamin said sprinkles are expected in San Francisco today and light rain is expected in the Santa Rosa area.
Later today, the Bay Area is expected to see up to an inch of rain, Benjamin said. The rain is expected to change to showers Monday.
The weather service issued a winter storm warning that will be in effect from 2 p.m. today to 4 p.m. Monday in the Tahoe area.
Benjamin predicted snow in the Sierras and severe weather for those heading north from the Bay Area. Snow is expected to drop from 6,000 feet today to 4,000 feet Monday morning with accumulations of up to 2 feet above 7,000 feet and 5 to 10 inches above 5,000 feet.
The weather is expected to be “typically unsettled” through Christmas, Benjamin said. Temperatures in the Bay Area are expected to range from the mid-40s to the mid-50s this week.
The Bay Area is not likely to receive snow on Christmas, however it is expected on some of the highest peaks, such as Mount Hamilton in the South Bay and Mount Tamalpais in Marin County.
“It is cool, but not as cold as last week,” Benjamin said.
