Our mild and dry conditions are coming to an end, as a moderate strength storm comes charging onshore this weekend. Here in the valley, the winds will start picking up early Saturday morning, and a Wind Advisory is in effect from 4 am through 10 pm Saturday. The strong winds will create a pretty strong rain shadow, so rainfall will be limited here in the valley through the day, with the west side and foothills more likely to receive some. Snow levels initially will start out at about 6,000’, so the mountains should see snow throughout the event.

Speaking of the mountains, as the storm strengthens and cools late Saturday, snowfall should intensify, and a Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the mountains from Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. High winds and heavy snowfall will make travelling over the passes a challenge during that time period. Snowfall amounts will probably only amount to a couple of inches during the day Saturday, but they could pile up anywhere from a half a foot to a couple of feet Saturday night through Sunday.

In the valley, rain should turn to snow early Sunday, and we could see a few inches accumulation by Sunday, especially on the west side.