SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A late-season Pacific storm brought rain and snow on Friday to California, though it was not expected to make much of a dent in the drought.
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for the Sierra Nevada through 5 a.m. Saturday, with an additional 4 to 9 inches of snow expected.
Motorists were advised to carry chains and expect delays. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph were expected.
Forecasters were also warning of rain showers and snow by Friday evening in parts of Southern California, particularly across the northern slopes of the Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara county mountains.
Light accumulations were expected on heavily-traveled Interstate 5 near the Grapevine.
Meteorologists said a winter weather advisory would be in effect through Saturday morning, with 3 inches to 6 inches of snow expected and snow levels lowering to elevations of 4,000 feet.
Winds were forecast to add to the problems, with powerful gusts sweeping the high-desert Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles at speeds up to 65 mph.
Blowing dust and sand were expected to limit visibility at times, the National Weather Service said.
Light rain fell in the San Francisco Bay Area throughout the day on Friday. Clouds and a chance of rain will remain through Sunday, forecasters said. About a tenth of an inch was expected in San Francisco.
The precipitation, while good news for the state, was unlikely to offer much relief from the ongoing drought.
“I don’t think the system is going to improve things a whole lot,” National Weather Service forecaster Bob Benjamin told the San Francisco Chronicle.
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