The National Weather Service in Sacramento has brought tidings of spring to the region, predicting light showers and a breezy weekend for residents in the Sacramento Valley, foothills, and mountains. According to the latest update, weak systems will bring some much-needed precipitation starting this afternoon, continuing into tomorrow, followed by another wave on Monday. In a report by the National Weather Service, the Sacramento Valley and its surrounding areas might see "light, low impact precipitation."
Despite the incoming systems, the forecast also suggests a warmup with "above-normal temperatures" persisting through the following week. The mid to high level clouds currently sweeping across Northern California are expected to clear up by mid-morning, possibly giving way to patchy fog across parts of the southern Sacramento and northern San Joaquin valleys. "Spring-like temperatures return to the region today," with a pretty decent shot at breaking 70 degrees in the Valley, as per the forecast.
As the first system moves in this evening, Shasta County foothills and mountains could receive up to 0.95 inches of rain, with lower amounts expected further south. A brief respite from the rain tomorrow evening could be interrupted by more light showers on Monday morning. Although the impacts are anticipated to be minimal, the weather service still warns of potential minor issues like "slippery roads" especially in the northern areas of Shasta County. The gentle reminder comes with a heads-up for gusty conditions – "breezy southerly winds" are on the agenda too, with gusts ranging from 15 to 30 mph, and even up to 40 mph in the Sierra.
Following Monday's rain, the NWS foresees a dry spell with upper-level ridging bringing in dry weather from the Pacific Northwest. This warm and dry pattern is expected to raise mercury levels, with the "NBM shows a 55 to 85 percent probability of high temperatures exceeding 70 degrees F throughout the lower elevations over the extended forecast period." There's also a chance that northern/central Sacramento Valley could experience days with temperatures nudging 80 degrees or more later in the week.
For aviation interests, brief periods of MVFR conditions are predicted early Saturday due to misty conditions, with the weather clearing later in the day. "Surface winds generally under 12 kts," the NWS report states, ensuring that aside from some minor visibility issues and the potential for showers, flights should be largely undisturbed. Look ahead into the extended forecast, some ensembles suggest a low-pressure system might bring additional sprinkles to the Sierra come early March.
