The National Weather Service in Sacramento has indicated that precipitation in Northern California is set to decrease today, providing a sigh of relief to residents hoping for clear skies for the Thanksgiving holiday. Rain and mountain snow will persist through this morning, however, with lighter showers lingering in the area until early Wednesday. The National Weather Service forecast expects dry conditions to follow for the rest of the Thanksgiving weekend.
Following the deluge, the Winter Storm Warning remains effective through 4 a.m. Wednesday for higher elevations, concerning those above 5500 ft in the West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada and western Plumas County/Lassen Park. The accumulations of snow are likely to continue, especially south of Highway 50, where there's a 50 to 85% probability of receiving another 4 inches or more of snow, according to the National Weather Service. The lower foothills and mountains are also expecting more rainfall, potentially putting the northern San Joaquin Valley at a 10 to 30% probability of receiving at least 0.25 inches of additional precipitation.
As we are heading into the holiday, a ridge formation is expected to usher in clearer skies with some northerly winds. Despite the clearing conditions, the National Weather Service warns that overnight temperatures could still pose a risk, remaining fairly cold and possibly affecting "pets, plants, and those without adequate heating." Thankfully, the winds from the north to northeast should help keep Valley temperatures from dropping too sharply on Thursday morning, with a 20 to 70% chance of reaching 36 degrees or less.
The outlook for the extended holiday weekend and next week looks promising, with the National Weather Service predicting the dry spell to continue and temperatures hovering near seasonal norms. Light to breezy winds are in the forecast, but nothing that should dampen any post-Thanksgiving plans.
