Summer storm brings funnel clouds, hail and lightning to Sacramento area

Two funnel clouds were spotted in the Sacramento area Sunday afternoon, part of a summer storm that brought rain, hail, thunder and lightning to the region.

A spindly funnel cloud formed over Plumas Lake in Yuba County at 3:36 p.m., then quickly dissipated. Shortly after that, a second funnel cloud appeared over Lincoln.

Cory Mueller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said neither one posed much of a danger of touching down and no others are likely in the area.

Mueller said the biggest threat came from hail and lightning strikes, several of which were reported in Plumas and Tehama counties.

While the summer storm is likely to diminish at lower elevations by late Sunday, plenty of snow is anticipated in the Sierra Nevada, with as much as five inches falling through Monday morning. In addition, possibly 8 to 12 inches of snow could fall over Lassen Volcanic National Park, according to the weather service.

In a rarity for this time of year, the weather service released an advisory warning drivers on mountain peaks to prepare for winter road conditions.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

This story was originally published June 11, 2017 at 5:59 PM with the headline "Summer storm brings funnel clouds, hail and lightning to Sacramento area."