A very spring-like cold convective system will impact all of CA over the next 48 hours. Showers and possibly thunderstorms will develop today across NorCal, especially along the coast and in the Central Valley. Cold air aloft is rapidly being advected into the region while sunny AM skies are allowing surface temperatures to rise to near 60 degrees by 11 AM, creating very steep lapse rates. Showers and scattered thunderstorms, likely containing hail and ice pellets, will be possible anywhere in the state late tonight through Saturday in the north and through Sunday in the south. Snow levels in NorCal will be low (but not impressively so–perhaps 2000 feet at times with ice mixed in to sea level in convective downbursts). Snow could actually fall almost as low as this in far SoCal, which is far more impressive, and some populated areas in SoCal that do not normally recieve snow could see some frozen precip by Monday AM. This does not have the makings of a classic severe thunderstorm scenario in the Valley; however, I do expect at least a couple of marginally severe storms (esp. Sat. in the San Joaquin Valley). Conditions will become warmer and drier by Monday statewide before reverting to a wet and colder pattern by next weekend once again. Enjoy the more active weather while it lasts…
