Is there a chance it may snow in the San Francisco Bay Area?

Question

I moved to the Bay Area and I didn't realize how much I would miss the change of seasons. Over here there's just dry and wet. I'm wondering if given its climatic history, there's any significant chance that it will snow during the next three years (the time I have left here). Yeah, I know I can go to Lake Tahoe, but I really miss seeing a whole city under snow. Thanks!

Answer 1

It's very unlikely.  But sometimes during February, March, very cold upper level systems move in and flurries happen.  It never accumulates and it's brief, but I'd give it about a 10% chance of seeing a flurry at some point in 3 years.  Your odds of course are better if you live at a higher elevation in SF county.  There's often a dusting and flurries on Mt. Tam.  

I think I remember the last time brief flurries were noted in SF was 2006.  That was the same time that snow happened in the hills above Malibu around 1500ft elevation in So Cal.

In the 1880s some decent snow fell in the city proper.  See pics below.

Change of seasons are a different story.  You won't notice such a thing there.  It's just a freak storm that will cause a flurry.  I think Mark Twain said that the coldest winter he ever saw was in San Francisco in the summer!  Winter temps are hardly different than summer temps and I hate the summer in SF.   LOL.

Answer 2

No it doesn't snow.

Answer 3

Hi - just thought I'd chime in with a ray of hope for you.  It snowed here in SF two years ago.  I live on Twin Peaks and I seriously had a quarter inch on my deck and grass.  I made a snowball and everything!

Answer 4

Here is some information regarding snow in San Francisco...

http://ggweather.com/sf/snow.html

http://www.micmacmedia.com/Sierra_Storie...