Weather service: Rain to increase in Fresno area, with heavy snow in nearby Sierra Nevada

Dense fog in parts of the central San Joaquin Valley on Wednesday morning is expected to give way to rain, heavy at times in Fresno, and snow in the nearby Sierra Nevada.

The unsettled weather is expected to bring at least an inch of much-needed rainfall to the Valley, and two to four feet of snow in the nearby mountains, the National Weather Service said. Above 7,000 feet, as much as six feet of snow is expected to fall.

Drivers in the mountain areas were cautioned to watch for slick, hazardous roads and travel delays through the Christmas holiday weekend.

The weather service said a series of Pacific and Bering Sea storms are driving the precipitation, which is expected to be accompanied by gusty winds.

The weather service also issued a warning that rain below the snowline in the Sierra could cause some mudslides, rock slides and debris flow flooding.

This story was originally published December 22, 2021 at 8:34 AM.