After a warm President’s Day weekend, here’s where the Bay Area could see snowfall next week

After a warm, sunny President’s Day weekend, an incoming cold front could bring rain and even lower-elevation snowfall throughout the Bay Area next week.

Overnight temperatures are expected to drop below freezing across much of the region Tuesday into Friday. And with a chance of precipitation in the forecast, light snow could be in store for areas as low as 1,500 feet.

That includes the East Bay hills, Santa Cruz Mountains and parts of the North Bay. The region’s highest peaks, such as Mount Diablo and Mount Hamilton, could see up to a few inches of snowfall, according to the National Weather Service.

“There’s still a lot of unknowns at this point, but it’s looking like a good setup for some lower-elevation snow,” said weather service meteorologist Roger Gass.

Early forecasts show a 30% to 50% chance of snow in the Bay Area starting Tuesday next week, he said.

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, said on Twitter that while some weather models are predicting snowfall at sea level, though that’s extremely unlikely given it’s rare to see a “freezing level all the way to the surface” at lower elevations in the Bay Area, he said.

Still, Swain said the incoming weather pattern approaching from western Canada “could cause significant problems in places that rarely see so much snow,” and hail showers “are plausible just about anywhere.”

The weather service could not say the last time snow fell across lower elevations in the Bay Area. But in 2018, cold winter weather brought a dusting of snow to hillsides across the East Bay and South Bay.

Last Tuesday, the weather service reported light snow at the Lick Observatory, some 4,200 feet near the top of Mount Hamilton 14 miles east of downtown San Jose.

In areas that don’t see snow next week, rain showers totaling up to about a half-inch are currently in the forecast. Potentially damaging winds up to 45 mph also are expected on Tuesday and Wednesday. Following the cold overnight conditions, dipping into the 20s in the hills and mountains and the low-to-mid 30s at lower elevations, daytime highs are set to hit the upper 40s to low-50s.

Current conditions at Lick Observatory near the top of Mt Hamilton (4,200 ft): light snow (little accumulation expected), temperature of 28.3 F, wind speed of 27 mph gusting to 41 mph and a wind chill of 14.0 F. Horizontal distance from Downtown San Jose: 13.6 miles. pic.twitter.com/5IM0DwMbcT

— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) February 14, 2023

In the Sierra Nevada Mountains, about 1 to 3 feet of snow is expected next week, boosting the area’s snowpack, which has hit its highest level in nearly three decades after a series of atmospheric river storms battered the state last month. On Saturday, the Central Sierra snowpack was at 186% of normal for this time of year.

Along with the Presidents’ Day weekend, many Bay Area schools are heading into a mid-winter “ski week” break, giving families the chance to hop in their cars and head to the mountains.

Near-perfect ski conditions are set to continue through the long weekend. But with snow and high winds set to arrive Tuesday, drivers should be cautious on the roadways, said weather service meteorologist Katrina Hand.

Don’t be surprised if some mountain passes are temporarily closed.

“We are anticipating some mountain travel impacts and impacts to some of those highways,” said Hand, adding more snow could be on the way next weekend.

After a mass of cold air sliding down from the Gulf of Alaska prompted freeze warnings across the Bay Area earlier this week, the rest of the holiday weekend is shaping up to be more comfortable.

Daytime temperatures are set to reach into the mid-60s, and even the low-70s in some inland areas, following chilly overnight temperatures in the upper 30s to mid-40s. Clear skies also are expected through Monday, save a few passing high clouds.