'Rare August Cold Front': Cooler Temps, Rain Possible For The Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — An early hint of fall will briefly grace the Bay Area this week, courtesy of an unusually timed weather pattern expected to move through the region starting Thursday.

Forecasters expect an incoming cold front will noticeably knock down temps across NorCal and leave the door open for at least a drizzle or two through Saturday. The mountain passes could even pick up a dusting of snow.

"By Thursday, the upper-level trough will dig into the Pacific Northwest and kick off a significant cooling trend through late week and into Saturday (Friday being the coolest)," NWS Bay Area said in a Wednesday forecast update. "There is high confidence in this cooling trend as clusters are in good agreement with the timing and position of the trough. As the front moves through the region Friday into Saturday, there is a 10-40% chance of rain over the North Bay with chances trailing downward as you head south of the Bay Area."

While the North Bay has the best shot at a little rain, chances elsewhere in the Bay range from 20 to 33 percent. Forecasters do not expect significant precipitation, with the high end for rainfall totals projected to land around a tenth of an inch.

In the Sierra, the shift in the weather may even allow for measurable snow in some of the higher mountain passes. According to the Mercury News, snow levels could fall as low as 8,000 feet, allowing for a dusting from the Tahoe area to Mammoth Lakes and a trace near the Kirkwood ski resort. At 9,943 feet, Yosemite's Tioga Pass has a chance to pick up a half-inch of snow.