Scattered thunderstorms expected Thursday afternoon as storm continues

Scattered thunderstorms are starting to develop Thursday afternoon in Northern California, where continuing rainfall has caused localized flooding throughout the Sacramento area.

This week’s storm reached a high point Thursday morning, snarling traffic and forcing some mountain road closures.

In Folsom, city crews are reporting several areas of localized street flooding, including at the intersection of East Bidwell Street and Montrose Drive. The city’s Police Department reports that free sandbags are available for city residents.

On eastbound Highway 50 just west of El Dorado Hills/Latrobe Road, two lanes are closed for mudslide/boulder removal work, according to Caltrans.

While local weather should be relatively clear beyond Thursday, more precipitation is predicted not far from Sacramento.

• A cold, weak system is expected to roll in Friday afternoon and sprinkle snowflakes down to 3,500 feet as late as Sunday morning. Mountain passes are forecast to receive a 1-1/2 to 3 feet of snow Friday through Sunday, with only showers in the Sacramento Valley.
• Friday morning’s commute should be quite a bit drier than Thursday’s, and those headed up to the snow for a long weekend would benefit from leaving early as well. Prime travel conditions are anticipated from Thursday evening until 4 p.m. Friday during a window between the two systems.

• A winter storm warning is in place across the western Sierra Nevada until 11 p.m. Thursday, with a less-serious winter storm watch following Friday morning through late Saturday night above 3,000 feet.

• Highway 89 is closed around Emerald Bay after a snowslide piled powder 15 feet deep in some areas Wednesday, with no plans to reopen for the next few days. Chains controls are in place starting outside Tragedy Spring on Highway 88 and Twin Bridges on Highway 50.
• Winter driving tips

Four Tahoe-area ski resorts — Kirkwood, Northstar, Heavenly and Diamond Peak in Nevada — reported more than a foot of snow over the last 24 hours. The California Nevada River Forecast Center's meter at Sacramento International Airport picked up more than an inch of rain Wednesday, while half that amount fell at Sacramento State.

Benjy Egel: (916) 321-1052, begel@sacbee.com

This story was originally published March 22, 2018 at 6:56 AM with the headline "Scattered thunderstorms expected Thursday afternoon as storm continues."