SANTA CRUZ >> What started with a drizzle will gradually give way to moderate rainfall accompanied by some significant wind gusts before the weekend arrives in Santa Cruz County, forecasters say.

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Rachel Kennedy, a second storm system is expected to arrive locally Friday and continue through Saturday bringing about an inch of rain to the mountainous regions and a half-inch to low-lying areas.“The majority of the precipitation is going to occur Friday into Saturday and then as we start getting into Sunday, we’re just going to see some light, lingering precipitation,” said Kennedy.

The first system arrived Thursday and carried light rain totals. The Santa Cruz Mountains recorded 0.49 inches in the last 24 hours, according to the National Weather Service. Watsonville managed 0.04 inches according to the NWS. Ben Lomond recorded 0.83 inches according to a Sentinel weather observer while Happy Valley posted 0.20 inches.

The tail end of the second system, Kennedy cautioned, will also bring colder-than-normal overnight temperatures that are expected to drop to the low to mid 30s late in the weekend and into early next week.

The weather service also issued a wind advisory for regions in the Santa Cruz Mountains from 10 a.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday, Kennedy said, with gusts that will range from 40-50 mph. That notice will be accompanied by a high surf advisory as well, beginning at 10 a.m. Friday and lasting until 4 p.m. Saturday with breaking wave heights expected to reach 15-20 feet.

“At the moment we’re not expecting any major coastal flooding impacts from this system,” said Kennedy. “But if you are going to go to the beach, just take extra precaution and be aware that there is a high surf advisory.”

Though the pair of storms moving through the county are considered relatively moderate, higher elevation regions in the state are bracing for heavy storms of their own that will bring hazardous conditions.

The weather service is expecting blizzard conditions in the Sierra Nevada beginning Friday and lasting through Sunday, with strong winds and near-zero visibility “making travel impossible,” according to a post from the service’s Sacramento branch. A blizzard warning was issued Thursday through early Sunday, with 5-10 feet of snow above 5,000 feet expected. Travel is highly discouraged, according to weather service.

Meanwhile, the scattered showers in Santa Cruz will linger through Sunday before a brief dry pattern arrives. But that may be reversed by late next week, with the potential for another wet storm system beginning to form, Kennedy said.