Forecast fizzles; storm weakens

Turns out that predictions of a tree-toppling, umbrella-snapping storm were full of bluster.

The daylong weather system passing through Sacramento rolled more than roiled on Sunday, dropping less than a half-inch of rain in most areas and downing more branches than trees.

Sunnier skies are forecast for today, with regional temperatures back into the 60s, according to a National Weather Service forecast.

"I think they fibbed to us about the weather," said Laura Macias, a regional fire dispatcher.

Residents, utility companies, street crews and forecasters alike braced for a bad weekend. Still fresh is the memory of massive January windstorms that knocked out power to 370,000 residences and businesses, some for a week.

Instead of predicted 60-mile-per-hour gales, Sunday's breezes clocked in in the teens and 20s, with some gusts hitting 40 mph.

Rain measured less than an inch in many Valley areas, although some foothill communities got more than 2 inches.

Fire crews, on alert for storm-related emergencies, stayed put for much of the weekend. The same went for hundreds of city and county storm crews.

"We at SMUD are relieved," said Chris Capra, spokesman for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.

National Weather Service officials said the scary-looking Pacific storm simply weakened faster than expected.

"That helped us dodge a bullet," weather service meteorologist Cynthia Palmer said. "But you know what? It was good to be prepared."

The storm wasn't entirely benign, however.

Power outages were reported at spots around the region throughout the weekend.

The largest hit southeast Davis on Sunday, where 1,900 customers in the Mace Boulevard, Washoe Street and Pole Line Road areas lost power for several hours, according to Pacific Gas and Electric officials.

At South Davis Veterinary Center on Mace Boulevard, the operating room went pitch black as volunteer veterinarians performed low-cost operations on dogs and cats during the ninth annual "Spay Day USA" event.

"All of us just said, 'Oh, no,' " said Cara Bradley, a veterinarian at the pet hospital.

One cat had just been neutered when the lights went out – and 19 more were waiting.

Vets and assistants donned headlamps and continued the delicate neutering procedures under flashlight beams.

It would have been more difficult to reschedule appointments than to plow through with the surgeries, Bradley said.

The Sacramento Area Animal Coalition, with about 300 volunteer veterinarians, helped hundreds of low-income pet owners, said coalition spokeswoman Alexis Raymond.

Short-term power failures on Sunday also hit about 1,400 Yuba City customers and 1,800 homes and businesses in Sacramento's south Natomas neighborhood. A falling tree limb caused the damage in Natomas, officials said.

Several foothill and mountain areas lost power for periods Sunday, including 163 customers along Highway 50 near Kyburz, 82 more in the Sliger Mine Road area of El Dorado County and 209 customers in Sierra County.

Highway 50 and Interstate 80 in the Sierra remained open through most of the weekend, but Interstate 80 was closed Sunday afternoon from Applegate to the Nevada state line due to heavy snow and lack of visibility.

A section of Highway 88 over Carson Spur remained closed Sunday afternoon because of avalanche-control activities, authorities said.

Late Saturday night searchers rescued a missing snowboarder at the Northstar-at-Tahoe resort near Truckee, Placer County Sheriff Edward Bonner said.

Thomas Groh, 17, of Novato, was found in good condition outside the resort at about 10:30 p.m. after calling rescuers with his cell phone, Bonner said.

Caltrans officials reported snow falling in Kingvale on Interstate 80 at about an inch an hour through much of Sunday.

In the Valley, a 200-foot-long oil spill forced a several-hour midmorning closure of the connector ramp between southbound Interstate 5 and eastbound Capital City Freeway. Caltrans crews spread sand on the pavement before reopening the ramp.

Despite overcast skies, some capital-area residents took advantage of lulls in the rain to walk dogs or get in a quick run.

For brief moments – too brief, said 10-year-old Tristan Tadano-Lanso – the sun stabbed through a wispy canopy of gray.

Then it darkened. Then the deluge returned.

"It was all sunny just a little while ago," Tristan said, as he and his parents stopped into a coffee shop after church.

The rain meant no baseball practice for Tristan. But all was not lost: He got a day at the movies with Mom and Dad.

In Sacramento, dreary weather couldn't spoil the sunny disposition of Anuj Kumar, who spent part of his morning at the farmers' market under Sacramento's WX freeway.

He and his companions were all giggles as they shopped for vegetables and flowers.

"This really isn't too much rain," he said. "It's all very nice – as long as it's only for a short time. Once in a while, it's great for going out and just having fun."

Farmers' market vendors saw it differently. Crowds were markedly smaller.

"When it rains a lot, nobody wants to come out," said Jennifer Gahan, who was selling baked goods. "And it's too cold."

It was so cold that people "don't want to pull their hands out of their pockets," joked Ryan Rorabaugh of SunBlest Orchards, whose stock wasn't exactly flying off the tables Sunday.

"A lot of people must have heard the news about the bad weather," Rorabaugh said, "so a lot of them didn't show up."

Jan Sweeney wouldn't let rain spoil her plans to "cook all day long."

"This is where I come for the freshest ingredients," Sweeney said.

About the writer:

• Call The Bee's Tony Bizjak, (916) 321-1059. The Associated Press contributed to this report.