After a brush with some light showers in Shasta County mountains and Lassen Park this morning, Sacramento is expected to experience dry weather today and going into Tuesday. The precipitation in the affected mountain areas ranged from 0.02" to 0.17" in the early hours, with snow levels sitting at around 4500 feet, hinting at light snow accumulations above this elevation. However, the majority of the region should see clear skies, according to the National Weather Service Sacramento CA.
The forecast also highlights a potential for patchy fog around Sacramento Executive Airport, expanding into the Sacramento metro area and north into the San Joaquin Valley, as well as mountain basins, with a 50% to 80% chance of development this morning. "The fog should disperse by late morning," the National Weather Service Sacramento CA reported. Meanwhile, Tuesday's weather will see a slight temperature increase from today's expected upper 50s to 60s in the Valley, before the arrival of another weak system on Wednesday that is predicted to bring mainly light precipitation.
For those planning ahead, Wednesday’s system seems to mirror the one we just experienced—fairly weak, with accumulations mainly north of I-80 and chances of a quarter inch of rainfall peaking between 30-75% across the northern Sacramento Valley. While the likelihood of isolated thunderstorms has decreased to a slim 5-10%, the impact on mountain travel should remain minimal with snow amounts for the northern Sierra projected at around 1-3" above 6000 feet.
Looking towards the end of the week, Thursday is anticipated to be dry as "strong upper level ridging builds in, with highs slightly above normal," and there's the possibility of breezy north winds gusting 20 to 30 mph. The warming trend is expected to continue well into the next week, with a 40-75% chance of seeing temperatures above 70 degrees by Sunday and Monday, pointing towards a period of dry and warm conditions, as per the National Weather Service Sacramento CA.
In terms of aviation, travelers should be aware of "areas of MVFR/IFR/LIFR conditions expected until 20Z due to fog, mist, and low stratus," after which VFR conditions will prevail. Winds remain light and southerly below 12 kts this afternoon but will shift northerly later tonight. Along the Sierra crest, expect sustained west-southwesterly wind to 15 kts with occasional gusts to 25 kts through this afternoon. For updates and forecasts, the National Weather Service in Sacramento CA encourages people to stay informed by checking their latest releases.
