Grab an umbrella and bundle up those kids - it's going to be a cool, damp day in Sacramento.
Today will likely mark the first day in more than five months that Sacramentans will see significant rainfall. The last rain shower was back on May 24, when 400ths of an inch of rain moistened the region, said Holly Osborne, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
"We had a pretty dry spring this year," she said.
Does the rain today bear any indication of a wetter winter?
Not really, Osborne said.
"It doesn't look like an El Nino or La Nina," she said, referring to the climatic phenomenons that can have dramatic effects on the weather. "We're looking at a near normal year."
High temperatures today are anticipated to reach only about 69 to 70 degrees in downtown Sacramento.
And while that midday walk may be dry, the drive home likely won't be.
Light showers are forecast to begin about 2 p.m., with showers becoming steadier about 5 p.m., Osborne said.
Wet and windy conditions - gusts of up to 30 mph are forecast - likely will persist overnight, when lows will drop to about 57 degrees, she said.
The rain will continue into Saturday, with showers becoming intermittent after 10 a.m.
Highs Saturday are forecast about 68 degrees.
The system is expected to clear out Saturday night, and Sunday's forecast appears to be dry and warmer, with highs in the low to mid-70s, Osborne said.
Call The Bee's Niesha Lofing, (916) 321-1270.
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