Storm boosts Sacramento’s rainfall total, Sierra ski resorts to open Friday

After a slow start on rainfall this season, the Sacramento region got a big boost from a subtropical system that moved through the area Wednesday night and Thursday.

Downtown Sacramento’s average rainfall total at this point in the season, which began Oct. 1, is 2.18 inches, said Jim Mathews, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. As of 5 p.m. Thursday, this season’s total stood at 2.12 inches, he said.

In areas further east, such as Folsom and Roseville, 24-hour totals ranged from 1 to 3 inches, he said, with foothill communities reporting 2 to 4 inches. Among the highest totals were 5.7 inches recorded in Nevada City, and 5.37 inches and 6.5 inches at locations in Georgetown, Mathews said.

The midweek downpour likely contributed to the 17 vehicle collisions to which California Highway Patrol officers responded in Sacramento between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

In Fair Oaks, a downed tree prompted a power outage for 263 Sacramento Municipal Utility District customers.

Mountain passes saw a foot or two of snow Wednesday, but much of Thursday’s precipitation was in the form of rain and wet snow, Mathews said. Snow levels remained around the 8,000-foot elevation, but were expected to drop to around 5,000 feet overnight.

Several Lake Tahoe ski resorts including Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Northstar and Heavenly are scheduled to open for the season Friday.

In the Truckee area, scattered snow showers are forecast before 11 a.m. Friday, before giving way to mostly sunny skies with a high near 40 degrees. Saturday and Sunday are expected to be sunny or mostly sunny, with a high near 48 degrees Saturday and 50 degrees on Sunday.

Patchy fog is forecast for the Sacramento area before 11 a.m. Friday, followed by sunshine and a high near 61 degrees. Some areas could see dense fog Saturday morning.

The afternoons should be mostly sunny through the weekend, with daytime highs in the low 60s and overnight in the mid to upper 30s.

The next chance of rain is forecast for Sunday night and could extend through Thanksgiving, Mathews said.

This story was originally published November 16, 2017 at 10:05 AM with the headline "Storm boosts Sacramento’s rainfall total, Sierra ski resorts to open Friday."