More cold weather and snow expected for Northern California

Several storm systems streaming from the Gulf of Alaska are bringing more snow to the Sierra Nevada and a cold snap to the Sacramento Valley through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

A winter weather advisory is in effect until 10 p.m. Wednesday in elevations above 4,000 feet where 2 to 7 inches of snow is expected to fall through the evening, said NWS meteorologist Mike Smith. Much lighter snow showers are expected to continue throughout the day Thursday before the region experiences a brief reprieve Friday

While snow levels could drop to elevations as low as about 1,500 feet, those areas are expected to see only an inch or less, Smith said. Elevations of 2,000 to 4,000 feet will see just a couple inches of snow.

NWS Reno warned drivers in a tweet Tuesday that icy and slick roads could cause hazardous travel conditions in higher elevations and encouraged people to check road conditions before heading out.

“Light snowfalls can cause some of the worst traffic issues and delays…so be prepared,” NWS Reno said.

The Sacramento Valley will also see a few rain drops Wednesday but only about one-tenth of an inch, with another half-inch expected over the weekend, Smith said. Just “enough to make the ground wet,” he said.

These cold systems are therefore pretty dry, which is enough to create snow but not necessarily bring in a lot of rain, Smith said.

Clouds that moved into the region overnight should keep the valley a bit warmer the next couple of days, Smith said. Wednesday morning temperatures saw high 30s and low 40s, about 10 degrees higher than the last couple of days where temps have dipped below freezing overnight.

The last couple of days have been marred by cold temperatures. A record low was even set for the South Lake Tahoe Airport Tuesday morning at minus 13 degrees, beating out the record for the same day of minus 8 degrees set in 1990, NWS Reno meteorologist Scott McGuire.

Temperatures throughout the day Wednesday and Thursday in the valley will warm up to the mid 50s, which is a bit lower than average for this time of year, Smith said. But clear skies Friday will bring temperatures back down to near or below freezing before the next storm system moves into the area late Saturday.

While more snow is likely to fall over the Sierra heading into next week, NWS Reno said the overall impact this next storm system will have on the region is unclear at this time. But drivers should be prepared “for travel and commute issues.”

This story was originally published February 20, 2019 at 9:28 AM.