Sierra Snow Pack Builds, Making For White Christmas In Mountains

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE (AP) - A fresh round of chilly rain is set to drench the region Christmas Eve, but Christmas Day will be dry, forecaster said Tuesday.

The next round of rain will hit the North Bay late Wednesday and move over the Golden Gate Bridge on Thursday, Christmas Eve.

With the rain, king tides are expected in the San Francisco Bay and at Ocean Beach. And the rain means good news for those headed to the mountains for a white Christmas.

The storm was set to bring roughly 4 feet of snow to high elevations of the Sierra Nevada, bringing prime powder to skiers and snow boarders.

Kirkwood, Heavenly and Northstar reported getting roughly 3 feet of fresh snow between Monday and Tuesday mornings. About a foot of snow was reported at Boreal, Sierra at Tahoe and Band Diamond Peak.

"We are looking fantastic this holiday season," said Northstar California Resort spokeswoman Marcie Bradley, adding that the last storm brought 34 inches of snow to the resort. "And there's more on the way for Christmas Eve to blanket us in a white Christmas."

She said guests couldn't be happier.

"This incredible snowfall turns everyone into a kid - skiing, riding, tubing, Nordic, snowshowing - they are all having so much fun. It's really making memories for a lifetime," Bradley said.

It's a similar story at Kirkwood.

"Mother Nature has really delivered for the holidays here at Kirkwood Mountain Resort," said spokesman Kevin Cooper. "This is the best start to the holiday season we have seen here since the big one back in 2010 (and) 2011. The entire region is now set up for the holidays."

At the summits of Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County and Mount Hamilton in Santa Clara County there could also be snow.

Forecasters said that even before the holidays there could be rain Tuesday night as skies will be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers.

Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers in the morning, later becoming partly cloudy with a chance of rain in the afternoon.

Winds could reach 10 to 15 mph, forecasters said.