In a matter of just five hours, the storm blowing through
Hollister dropped nearly half an inch of rain in the city and
brought snow to elevations as low as about 400 feet, according to
the National Weather Service office in Monterey.
In a matter of just five hours, the storm blowing through Hollister dropped nearly half an inch of rain in the city and brought snow to elevations as low as about 400 feet, according to the National Weather Service office in Monterey.
As the rainfall that started around 5 a.m. is expected to slow significantly until Thursday, residents should brace themselves for a chilly couple of days ahead. Lows tonight for the area are expected to be in the mid-20s, said Charles Bell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. On Tuesday night, meteorologists are predicting lows in the mid- to upper 20s, he said.
“So it’s going to be a cold, hard freeze tonight,” said Bell, noting how residents should take precautionary steps to prevent pipe damage.
As far as the rain goes, however, the weather service expects there will be a “few-hundredths” more through today and that it’s “going to be very hit and miss,” Bell said. On Thursday, then, forecasters are predicting around a 40 percent to 60 percent chance for more rain.
The mix of cold air and precipitation, meanwhile, led to snowfall at higher elevations of San Benito County. A weather service worker this morning had observed a snow and rain mix at 400 feet and just snow at 1,000 feet, Bell said.
Though precipitation levels vary widely in the county due to the mountainous terrain in many areas, today’s rainfall from a monitoring station 1.1 miles north of Hollister will bring the official total for the season – from recordings since July – to around 3 and 1/4 inches, according to the weather service. The normal for this time of year is about 4.5 inches, Bell said.
After Tuesday night, temperatures should start to warm slightly, with lows expected in the low 30s Wednesday and Thursday.
