Northern California Forecast: Snow in Sierra, thunderstorms possible Friday; Alert day is this weekend
Our weather team is calling Sunday a Weather Alert Day for the expected impacts of heavy rain, snow and strong winds.
Updated: 6:58 PM PT on February 2, 2024
Especially on Sunday, when you can be inside and look at all that stuff. Mark, thanks. This is fun for the whole family. You know, I think Sunday is going to be a really interesting ritual day. This is how it looks now. We've got LIVECOPTER3. We are above the valley. Looking to the east, you can see some fair-weather cumulonimbus clouds here. But far from the hills. This is where we have had these most persistent thunderstorms. If you will, there is some convective rain there. The hail we mentioned earlier, but that will all work to clear the valley over the next couple of hours. In other words, LIVE COPTER is here and looking east. This continues up the hill and we don't really see anything filling in behind it. I don't think we'll see a lot of activity during the evening hours tonight. You can see over the last couple of hours how little rain has fallen across the valley. It then turned into thunderstorms over the lower slopes and is now turning to snow at about 4,000 feet. But again, I think as we go through the evening, it will gradually wind down. So let's get into the weekend and Sunday's storm and what to expect. So, it looks like we'll be in and out of clouds for most of the day. And when you see the occasional patch of green here, we're going to make tomorrow a dry day. Yes, there may be an intermittent shower here and there, but only if you have it outdoors. Plan tomorrow, if you want to do something outdoors, play golf, go for a run or walk, whatever it is. Tomorrow will be your day. Temperatures will be in the 50s, and tomorrow will also be a good day for travel through the Sierra. We have a series. Controls now. We have no chain controls. Tomorrow, then Sunday will not be a good day to travel. Again, this is 6pm on a Saturday. Tomorrow is your good day. Let's get to Saturday night and Sunday morning. This is 1:00 AM. rain. LIGHTRILLIONAIN is already starting and then the rain will increase. So, by the time the sun rises Sunday morning, at 6 a.m., we will have large areas of heavy rain and snow in the Sierra. Controls will be up and winds in the Sierra may cause some whiteout conditions. So it's 6:00 AM. Over the next couple of hours, there will be small bands of heavy rain. Some will pass through the Sacramento area, others to the north, and others into the foothills. Snow falls in the Sierra Mountains at a speed of 1 to 2 hours. It's 9:00 AM as we go through the morning. By noon, the more consistent rain stops, but we already have an inch to an inch and a half of rain and because of that, we can see standing water on the roads and we can see the creeks starting to show up a little bit. The rain should taper off to occasional showers in the afternoon, and the snow may subside a bit. But with a few feet of snow in the mountains, I don't think you'll find much better travel conditions. But in the valley we will see the winds calm down. By the time we get to the evening, things will be over. The other thing I'll show you is the wind in a moment. I think if you got there around 5:00 on a Sunday afternoon and had the power, it would still be on. This is Monday morning. We still have another small flurry through to keep us under some rain and snow, but that won't be as tough as what we expect through Sunday. In terms of snow. Watch how quickly these piles pile up at Doner Peak. This number may be a bit high. We're thinking about 2 to 3 feet of snow, and it's going to fall quickly, like you said, two inches an hour. That's why we just advise you not to travel to 80. You won't be surprised if 80 is closed for a while on Sunday, due to a mix of heavy snow. As well as stormy winds. So. So tomorrow is the good part of the weekend. Sunday, windy and wet. This is what we call the Day of Warning. Just because there will be a lot going on. Rain continues until Monday, but not as active as Sunday next week. There will be more rain headed our way, but nothing as heavy as what we'll see through Sunday. The other thing I'll show you next time we do some weather around the wind. Yes, there are some wind patterns. It's not strong, but there are some wind patterns that I don't remember seeing before.
Northern California Forecast: Snow in Sierra, thunderstorms possible Friday; Alert day is this weekend
Our weather team is calling Sunday a Weather Alert Day for the expected impacts of heavy rain, snow and strong winds.
Updated: 6:58 PM PT on February 2, 2024
If you're looking to get outdoors this weekend, Saturday will be your best chance to do so before the next weather storm arrives. Our weather team is calling Sunday a Wake Day due to the expected impacts of heavy rain, snow and gusty winds that could reach 50 mph in some places. It is expected to be the windiest day of the season. Here's a closer look at the forecast over the next few days. On Friday, the area will see intermittent rain during the day. Scattered thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon, especially from Sacramento and northern areas. Snowfall in the Sierra will be impactful with heavy accumulations possible. Snow levels will mainly be above 4,000 feet. Expect chain controls and travel delays across the Sierra. As of Friday morning, chain controls were already in effect on Interstate 80, Interstate 50 and Interstate 88. Here's a look at possible rain and snow totals for Friday: Valley: .10-.20 inch, Foothills: .25-.50 inch. Our weather team calls on weather impact days on Sunday and Monday. Sierra: 4-8 inches Saturday will be mainly dry as we wait for the next impact storm. Why is Sunday considered a day of alert? Here are the rain, wind and snow effects you can expect in Northern California. Rain: Rain will develop in the morning and may be heavy for a while. Valley locations could see 1-2 inches of rain. Short periods of heavy rain may be enough to cause street flooding and raise water levels in flood-prone streams in Sacramento County. But the major rivers and the Cosumnes River will remain well below flood level. Snow: Heavy snow will fall during the day Sunday with accumulations of over 6,000 feet in the 2-3 foot range by Monday morning. The combination of heavy snow and high winds will make driving conditions difficult on Sierra roads. There may be periodic road closures if power outage conditions occur. Wind: Winds will be active on Sunday morning and will be active until the afternoon. The San Joaquin Valley and the hills south of I-80 have a chance of seeing wind gusts of 50 mph, which could lead to scattered power outages and downed trees and limbs. Areas north of Sacramento will see much lower winds. Meanwhile, Southern California is also expecting significant impacts from the storm this weekend. See more about the risks in this video from meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn. Looking ahead, Monday will be breezy with occasional showers. | Related | What is an atmospheric river? Pineapple Express? Here's the explanation, Prepare for a California storm, Download our app for the latest breaking news and weather alerts, Track California's live Doppler radar, See our live traffic map, Chain controls? Track the latest information on California road conditions, Send us weather videos and photos, Sacramento County activates rest centers ahead of storms, seeks donations, Track California power outages by county, Follow our weather team at KCRA on social media Social, Chief Meteorologist Mark Finan on Facebook and Twitter, Meteorologist Tamara Berg on Facebook and Twitter, Meteorologist Eileen Gavora on Facebook, Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn on Facebook, Meteorologist/Climate Reporter Heather Waldman on Facebook and Twitter, Watch Our Forecasts On TV or online, here's where you can find our latest video forecasts. You can also watch a live broadcast of our latest news bulletin here. The banner on our site turns red when we are live. We also stream on the Very Local app for Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire TV.
If you're looking to get outdoors this weekend, Saturday will be your best chance to do so before the next weather storm arrives. Our weather team is calling Sunday a Wake Day due to the expected impacts of heavy rain, snow and gusty winds that could reach 50 mph in some places. It is expected to be the windiest day of the season.
Here's a closer look at the forecast over the next few days.
On Friday, the area will witness intermittent rain showers during the day. Scattered thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon, especially from Sacramento and northern areas.
Snowfall in the Sierra will be impactful with heavy accumulations possible. Snow levels will mainly be above 4,000 feet. Expect chain controls and travel delays across the Sierra.
As of Friday morning, chain controls were already in effect on Interstate 80, Interstate 50 and Interstate 88.
Here's a look at possible rain and snow totals on Friday:
- Valley: .10 – .20 inches
- Ridges: .25 – .50 inches. Our weather team calls on weather impact days on Sunday and Monday.
- Sierra: 4-8 inches
Saturday will be mainly dry as we wait for the next impactful storm.
Why Sunday is Alert Day | Here are the rain, wind and snow effects you can expect in Northern California.
rain: Rain will develop in the morning and may be heavy for a while. Valley locations could see 1-2 inches of rain. Short periods of heavy rain may be enough to cause street flooding and raise water levels in flood-prone streams in Sacramento County. But the major rivers and the Cosumnes River will remain well below flood level.
snow: Heavy snow will fall during the day Sunday with accumulations of over 6,000 feet in the 2-3 foot range by Monday morning. The combination of heavy snow and high winds will make driving conditions difficult on Sierra roads. There may be periodic road closures if power outage conditions occur.
winds: Winds will be active on Sunday morning and will be active until the afternoon. The San Joaquin Valley and the hills south of I-80 have a chance of seeing wind gusts of 50 mph, which could lead to scattered power outages and downed trees and limbs. Areas north of Sacramento will see much less wind.
Meanwhile, Southern California is also expecting significant impacts from the storm this weekend. See more about the risks in the video from meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn.
Looking ahead, Monday will be breezy with scattered showers.
| Related | What is an atmospheric river? Pineapple Express? Here is an explanation
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