Hold onto your hats, Sacramento residents! The National Weather Service in Sacramento advises preparing for "breezy to gusty north to east winds" throughout the weekend. Showers and significant Sierra snow are expected to hit later today and continue into tomorrow. For those looking forward to clearer skies and milder mornings, relief will come early next week. However, more active weather patterns could be on the horizon later in the week. This forecast is based on an area forecast discussion from NWS Sacramento.
The tip-off to this windy weekend came this morning, as the northern Sacramento Valley was hit with northward gusts up to 40 mph and a flotilla of mid-level clouds, as a trough settled over the region. According to NWS Sacramento, "strongest winds across interior NorCal are expected to occur today," and though they will taper off slightly, gusty conditions will persist into tomorrow. As a result, a Wind Advisory remains in effect for parts of the central and northern Sacramento Valley, as well as nearby higher elevations. While snow showers in the Sierra are light today, don’t be deceived—more significant snowfall is expected with the additional moisture arriving later today.
There's a bit of uncertainty about just where this precipitation will plant its flag. "Some light precipitation, namely snow showers along the Sierra," NWS Sacramento notes. So, if you're above 5,000 feet and south of Highway 50 in the Sierra, you could see more than four inches of snow accumulate, with 60 to 80 percent odds in your favor. Those closer to Highway 50 may see lighter snowfall. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for these areas, starting early this morning and lasting until 4 p.m. tomorrow.
Early next week, it’s uncertain how quickly the cutoff low will make its exit eastward. However, NWS Sacramento projections suggest that, whether it lingers or moves quickly, breezy conditions will persist through tomorrow. As a ridge moves in, temperatures may dip, possibly falling below freezing in lower elevations by Monday and Tuesday mornings. Later in the week, a "Pacific frontal system progged to move through" indicates a return of precipitation, ensuring our weather stays anything but monotonous.
