This is how much rain has fallen in the Sacramento region - and how much more is on the way

The Sacramento region is getting drenched.

It’s had more than 2 inches of rain so far, and more is coming, according to the National Weather Service.

Downtown Sacramento was on track Tuesday night to break a rainfall record, having received 1.86 inches in the last 24 hours, according to the National Weather Service. And the rain isn’t letting up. Another 2 inches is expected to fall on the region over the next two days, and areas in the foothills will see as much as another 4 inches in rain, said Johnnie Powell, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

Showers and gusty winds will likely affect Wednesday morning commutes. Wind gusts are expected to hit 30 mph in Sacramento and go as high as 50 mph north of the city, said Eric Kurth, meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

Areas east of Sacramento also saw heavy rain, but cities along the I-80 corridor are being hit the hardest in the region by a “plume of moisture” moving in from the Pacific, Kurth said.

Some areas in the foothills climbed to nearly 3 inches of rain, with the Auburn airport receiving 2.99 inches of rain Tuesday, and Grass Valley reaching nearly 5 inches.

Snowfall continues Wednesday in the Sierra Nevada mountains, with areas higher than 6,000 feet being pounded with wet and heavy snow. The winter weather closed Interstate 80 at Colfax, according to Caltrans. Temperatures hovering in the mid-30s mean the snow will remain wet and heavy and a winter storm warning remains in effect until 4 a.m. Thursday morning.

In the valley, a flood warning is in effect until Thursday night, according to the NWS. The heavy rainfall is flowing into the valley and causing waterways to swell, some to dangerous levels.

“There’s going to be a lot of water coming into the valley,” Kurth said. “Stream rises are going to happen into Thursday.”

Cache Creek, north of Woodland in Yolo County, has already surpassed 72 feet and is on track to surpass flood stage Tuesday night, according to the California Nevada River Forecast Center. The river level is projected to climb to nearly 83 feet, a dangerous level, the center said.

Overflow is expected on the non-leveed south bank, the center said on its website.

Other rivers – including Consumnes River, Yuba River, Sacramento River and Mokelumne River – are expected to rise to “monitor stage,” in which nearby low-lying lands and roads become flooded.

“If people live near a river, they should closely monitor them because rivers are expected to crest overnight,” Kurth said.

This story was originally published February 27, 2019 at 2:40 AM.