Holiday travel outlook with rain on the way

OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - KTVU's Steve Paulson says Thursday is the best day for holiday travel in the Bay Area between now and early Saturday.

A Winter Storm Warning kicks in at 4 a.m. Friday for the Sierra and northeast California with areas including the northern mountains of Burney Basin, Shasta and Lassen.

Steve says higher peaks could measure 1-3' of snow. Southerly winds starting Thursday night could reach 20 to 30 mph in many areas with gusts of more than 40 mph possible and up to 50 mph in hill and mountain areas. The strongest winds are expected Friday morning.

We'll have some rain Friday morning and the morning commute could be delayed. Along with rain, winds and surf there is the possibility of thunderstorms, the National Weather Service said today. 

Steve says it should be a little better by the evening. 

Meanwhile officials at Mineta San Jose International Airport are expecting passenger traffic to be up 18 percent over last year during this time. A KTVU crew stopped by the airport Thursday morning. Security lines weren't too long. The security area had bomb sniffing dogs which helped accelerate the screening process. 

On the roadways AAA says the vast majority of travelers in the U.S. will be hitting the road due to cheaper gas prices and rising incomes. 

As for your Christmas day forecast - Steve says it will be chilly with highs in the upper 40s with lows dipping into the 30s or even 20s in some areas. Daytime highs will barely reach the 50s in many places. Monday morning could get even colder, officials said.