The last time it snowed in downtown San Francisco was 1976.
As AccuWeather.com Western Expert Ken Clark has been stressing, this storm is a "big deal" for California.
Major disruptions to travel through passes, including all those leading into and out of the L.A. Basin, are expected with this unusually cold storm. The snow will be coming just before the Oscars kick off Sunday.
Travel-snarling snow will not be limited to just California, with parts of Arizona, Nevada and states farther east set to get blasted this weekend as well. Snow could even fall at the Accenture Match Play Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Marana, Ariz., this weekend.
More details on how the storm will impact these southwestern states are provided in this news story.
The Scoop on San Francisco and Sacramento
Rain that has been affecting San Francisco and Sacramento, and much of central California for that matter, since Thursday afternoon is expected to start mixing with or even changing to snow at some lower elevations late this afternoon into tonight.
This mixing or changeover will occur as record-challenging cold air pours in behind the storm.
Whether or not it's cold enough for snow to reach down into downtown San Francisco and Sacramento does not appear to be as much of a question as whether or not the precipitation moves out before that colder air arrives.
If rain showers stick around long enough in San Francisco, people could very well see snow mixing in or even a complete changeover to snow at some point tonight.
AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said he wouldn't be surprised if there was even a small accumulation of snow in part of the Sacramento Valley. Rain is also forecast to mix with snow in the San Joaquin Valley, which includes Fresno, tonight.
Snow in some of the hills and mountains around San Francisco and Sacramento is a given. Clark was forecasting 7 to 14 inches of snow at elevations higher than 2,500 feet, 3 to 6 inches down to 1,500 feet, and a coating of snow possible down to 500 feet. He has more details in his blog.
Clark expects roads in these areas, especially at elevations higher than 1,500 or 2,000 feet, to be snow covered and icy.
Details on Los Angeles
Snow is on tap for even some valleys of the L.A. Basin this weekend, along with accumulating snow in the Upper Deserts and travel-snarling snow in the passes.
Travelers could encounter snow anywhere along Interstate 15 between the L.A. Basin and Las Vegas.
Snow will start falling at some elevations down to 3,000 to 3,500 feet throughout the L.A. Basin tonight and continue through Saturday, with snow levels dropping even further.
The snow is likely to wreak havoc on the heavily traveled Grapevine, Cajon Pass and the 14 Freeway, with Clark predicting 6 to 12 inches through Saturday morning. He said more snow will fall through Saturday evening, though amounts will be variable.
There is a good chance that some, if not all, of these passes will be closed for a time this weekend. These passes are the main arteries that connect Los Angeles with the rest of California and the Southwest.
Saturday is when rain showers in the L.A. Basin are expected to start mixing with and changing to snow at elevations down to 1,000 to 1,500 feet. However, in a heavier shower Saturday afternoon or evening, snow could fall all the way down to areas at 500 feet in elevation, including some valleys.
Elsewhere across the L.A. area, rain falling heavily at times tonight will be followed by showers and even a few thunderstorms in spots Saturday. The area will dry out by Sunday.
I miss that nutty city. A snowfall will be refreshing for the city of free love.