Weekend storm may bring cold temperatures

Rain and overnight temperatures that could hit freezing in some parts of the region, according to the NWS.

A cold weather system is expected to blow into the Bay Area on Sunday, bringing rain and overnight temperatures that could hit freezing in some parts of the region, according to the National Weather Service.

While much of the region will see dry, mild conditions through Saturday and into Sunday morning, a mass of cold air will move from the northwest to southeast across the Bay Area starting about midday Sunday, forecasters said.

“Widespread rainfall” is expected Sunday, though it won’t be a deluge, according to the weather service. Totals will likely be less than what the region saw during the last storm Tuesday and Wednesday, with forecasters estimating amounts ranging from a tenth of an inch to half an inch. The coastal mountains could see higher amounts.

Light rain, along with patches of heavy rain and small hail, are possible as the system moves out of the region Sunday night and Monday, forecasters said.

Overnight lows Sunday and Monday could range from the mid-30s to the low 40s, according to the weather service. The mercury in San Jose, for example, is expected to dip to 39 degrees Sunday and 36 degrees Monday. On Monday, lows could reach 36 degrees in Pleasant Hill, 38 degrees in Fremont and 41 degrees in Oakland.

The Bay Area’s highest peaks could receive a dusting of snow, with snow elevations dropping as low as 2,000 feet late Sunday and 1,700 feet early Monday.

Forecasters said wind gusts are possible beginning Sunday afternoon. They could reach 30 to 35 mph near the coast and in the hills. The rest of the region is expected to see gusts of 20 to 30 mph.

Santa Clara County officials on Friday were trying to warn people who are homeless about the incoming cold spell and the dangers it poses, including hypothermia.

“Outreach teams from the county, as well as community partners, are checking on (homeless) encampments through Sunday morning to distribute ponchos and blankets, and to urge unhoused people to take shelter,” the county said in a statement.

The county said the Gilroy Armory shelter, located at 8490 Wren Ave., will have additional beds available for people seeking shelter from the cold nights on Friday and Saturday.

The county also said “friends, family, and neighbors of older adults should check in frequently to make sure that their homes are adequately heated and that they are safe” during the cold weather period.