Winter Wonder: San Francisco Sees First Snow in 35 Years

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Yet another usually snow-free area has been visited by Jack Frost this winter.

High elevations in San Francisco saw dusting of snow late Friday, marking the first time flakes have fallen since 1976. While this coating may not even be enough to craft a snowball, residents were a-flurry about seeing the white stuff on the ground.

San Francisco’s Twin Peaks neighborhood, at an elevation of 900 feet, saw a veritable dusting of snow. But downtown dwellers and those near sea-level saw only rain or quickly melting flurries.

(More on TIME.com: See the top 10 big bad blizzards.)

While the snow (or lack thereof) might have come as a disappointment to residents, the pre-storm buzz provided enough excitement to last. The website IsItSnowingInSFYet.com popped up Friday with a blunt “No.” message. No doubt the site’s coordinators were anxiously awaiting the switchover to a gleeful “Yes!” which happened Saturday morning, proudly featuring a cheery winter tune and seizure-inducing graphics.

But of course, as San Franciscans waited for the white stuff, they were warned of the hazards that come with it. Mayor Ed Lee urged residents to take precautionary measures and watch out for icy road conditions.

(More on TIME.com: See photos of the constant pummeling of snow across the U.S. this winter.)

Cue the rest of America’s simultaneous “Oh, please.” San Francisco has joined the likes of Atlanta and Dallas with its unexpected snowfall. But it can’t hold a candle (or do we mean a shovel?) to the blizzard-like scenes across the Midwest and East Coast this season.