'Ton of mountain snow,' Bay Area rain in store for weekend

After an unseasonably warm winter in Northern California, the National Weather Service is telling folks to prepare for a cold, rainy and snowy weekend.

"There's going to be a ton of mountain snow," KTVU meteorologist Steve Paulson said on Friday. "This is going to be a major event, and I don't usually say that."

Paulson said that the radar shows there could be between four to six feet of snow at elevations greater than 7,000 feet in the Sierra, including Tahoe, Shasta and Lassen. A winter storm watch will be in effect from Saturday to Monday.

As for the Bay Area, rain is likely and temperatures cooler in the 60s and below.

The rain will last into early next week.