SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A powerful storm in the Pacific Ocean on Monday will increase the risk of multiple weather hazards, including severe weather.
The heavy rain will become heavier Monday morning. Skies will partially clear, helping to further destabilize the already unstable atmosphere.
Minor risk days in California are very rare. We don't get a lot of them here. But it does happen, and tomorrow is one of those days.
Clear skies during the morning will help prepare the atmosphere for thunderstorms from mid-morning until the beginning of the evening. Not everyone will see thunderstorms, but everyone has a chance. Additionally, not all storms will be severe, but some likely will be.
Monday has all the makings of a high-impact weather day. Storm Prediction Center It issued a level 2 out of 5 “slight” risk for severe weather Monday for south Sacramento and the northern San Joaquin Valley.
Credit: KXTV
The development of thunderstorms will depend on how much emptiness there is in the cloud field. Clearer skies early in the day will help destabilize the atmosphere, helping to create thunderstorms in the afternoon.
The environment will also be favorable for the development of a tornado or funnel cloud, with a 5% chance, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Credit: KXTV
Since 1970, Sacramento County has had 15 confirmed tornadoes and San Joaquin County It had 17. Tuolumne County was hit by its first confirmed tornado last March near Tuttletown.
Credit: KXTV
In addition to heavy rain, the main threats are strong thunderstorm winds of 58 mph or greater, with a 5% chance of winds greater than 58 mph.
Credit: KXTV
The thunderstorms will be discrete, meaning they will be isolated and isolated. Supercell thunderstorms are possible in the valley Monday afternoon. Low-level winds will be southeasterly, while average winds will be southwesterly. This is called wind shear, and this combined with atmospheric instability is what gives us the risk of severe thunderstorms and tornado risk on Monday.
Typically, we see funnels and tornadoes forming near hillsides. The shifting terrain helps create more spin. But because of the widespread instability that will be present in the valley, even people in cities far from the foothills — Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, Davis, Elk Grove, Woodland, Colusa, etc. — could see severe weather and funnel passes. Here is the difference between the two.
Credit: KXTV
It is important to have a way to receive weather warnings and stay informed about the weather forecast. The ABC10 app is one way to get weather warnings, as is NOAA Weather Radio.
More storms are possible on Tuesday but for now, the risk of severe weather appears to be lower.
See also:
California weather update: Tornado risk, flooding and dangerous snowstorm in the Sierra
ABC10: Watch, download, read
