The National Weather Service in Sacramento has issued a slew of warnings and watches for Northern California as a potent atmospheric river continues to drench the region with rain and mountain snow; the situation is evolving with the Winter Storm Warning now extended until 8 AM this morning for elevations above 3,500 feet, including travel arteries like Interstate 80, making transportation in these areas particularly perilous.
A Winter Storm Watch has also been declared from tomorrow afternoon through Tuesday for elevations above 5,500 feet in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades, affecting major routes such as Interstate 80 and Highway 50, with Caltrans and CHP reporting that roads in the Valley are slick and in the mountains are snow covered, which could have implications for anyone planning travel this Thanksgiving week, plus a Flood Watch remains in place through early Saturday morning for valley foothill locations generally north of Interstate 80 and below 3,000 feet.
According to the National Weather Service, cumulative rain amounts ranging from 1-5 inches in the Valley and 3-12 inches in the foothills are anticipated by Saturday; moreover, gusty southerly winds persisting at 25 to 40 mph are likely to complicate matters, particularly in the Northern and Central Sacramento Valley and adjacent foothills, where a Wind Advisory remains in effect through 7 AM.
Isolated thunderstorms, which may materialize tomorrow afternoon into Saturday, have the potential to exacerbate conditions with tendencies to produce small hail, heavy rain, lightning, and gusty winds, with moderate to heavy snowfall expected over the weekend and into next week in higher altitudes, while the Valley could see an additional 1.00 inch or more of rain through Wednesday, as reported by the National Weather Service.
Travel disruptions are a key concern as the weather front moves inland. The National Weather Service advises travelers, especially those with outdoor holiday plans, to stay updated on the latest forecasts and road conditions by visiting weather.gov/sto and quickmap.dot.ca.gov.
