After a day to dry out, Central California set to get more rain and snow

Welcome rain and snow were delivered to the central San Joaquin Valley and Sierra in the storm that rolled through Friday, and more is expected when another storm arrives Sunday.

The rain totals for Thurday and Friday gathered by the National Weather Service showed that foothill locales received more precipitation than communities on the valley floor. Bass Lake got 1.18 inches of rain, while Fresno received .38 of an inch. Madera had .30, while Visalia received.26 and Hanford just .17.

Among snow totals were 7 inches at Fish Camp, 6 inches near Edison Lake northeast of Fresno and 5 inches at Huntington Lake. Grant Grove in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks received 9 inches, while Lodgepole got 6 inches. Tuolumne Basin near Yosemite National Park got 9 inches.

China Peak reported 10-12 inches of new snow.

Friday’s storm brought dramatic lightning, heavy downpours and hail to some Bay Area locations. The Oakland Hills experienced the most strikes with about six. Across Northern California and offshore, there were more than 850 lightning strikes in a 24-hour period, the weather service said.

Big waves pounded the Central Coast Thursday and Friday. Breakers were measured as high as 17 feet, the region’s highest recorded surf since 2013. That swell activity is expected to decrease by Saturday afternoon, but the National Weather Service said a high surf advisory will remain in place until 5 p.m. Sunday. Both the Pismo Beach and Cayucos piers were closed because of the wave action.

Rain also fell in Southern California, as did snow in the San Bernardino Mountains, but in much less amounts. Ski resorts were reporting an inch or two of new snow.

Saturday is the day of respite, with mostly sunny skies expected in Fresno. The high will be 55 degrees.

Then a new storm arrives midday Sunday, with between a tenth to a quarter inch expected in Fresno.

A winter storm watch has been issued for the Sierra for Sunday through Monday afternoon. The NWS says the next storm will be colder, with 18 inches of new snow possible in the northern part of Yosemite National Park and up to a foot in Sequoia.

Late Monday the storm will head east out of the region, and sunshine returns Tuesday along with cool temperatures. The high Tuesday will only be 49 degrees in Fresno, the weather service predicts.

The possibility of fog also returns next week before the next chance of rain, which is next Friday.

This story was originally published December 11, 2015 at 11:01 AM with the headline "After a day to dry out, Central California set to get more rain and snow."