Northern California’s atmospheric river mostly skirted Sacramento. That changes Friday
A soggy Sacramento had dodged the brunt of the powerful atmospheric river that drenched points north and west this week.
That was about to change, National Weather Service forecasters said Friday, as the storm system that brought record rainfall to the North Bay area and pummeled the north state moved south into the Sacramento region.
Forecasters in Sacramento braced the region for heavier rains earlier Friday morning on social media.
“Heads-up Sacramento (& I-80)! Have you been wondering where the moderate to heavy rain is?” National Weather Service-Sacramento posted. “Well, today is the day!”
National Weather Service forecasters just before noon issued a flood advisory for the Sacramento metropolitan area and the Interstate 80 corridor through Solano County through 9 p.m.
The heaviest rainfall was expected during the afternoon and evening rush hour Friday, with forecasters cautioning motorists to watch for slick roads and ponding on and along roadways.
Sacramento International Airport has already picked up 1.29 inches of rainfall since the storm began earlier this week; including more than a half-inch in the last 24 hours ending 10 a.m.; while more than 1 inch fell in Citrus Heights and Folsom. Sacramento monitors collected anywhere from a half-inch to .79 inches; while Elk Grove has so far charted .57 inch.
Those totals grew heading east on Interstate 80 and Highway 50.
In Placer County, Colfax has logged 3.35 inches since the storm moved in on Wednesday. Auburn had seen as much as 2.29 inches of rainfall and more than an inch of rain had fallen in Roseville by Friday morning.
Cool topped the list in El Dorado County collecting about 2 inches during this week’s storm; while Placerville measured more than a half-inch of rain. Those totals were sure to rise as more rain pushed through on Friday.
River watchers at the California Nevada River Forecast Center kept eyes on the heavy rains and rising water levels. Those levels rose on the region’s major waterways, including the Sacramento and Feather rivers.
River sites in Sacramento County were forecast to rise with the heavy rains, but levels were expected to stay well below flood monitoring stage, according to the forecast center’s website.
The most activity was upstream on the Sacramento at Hamilton City in Glenn County where the river was expected to rise above its 142-foot monitor stage by noon Friday; and in Tehama County, where the Vina Woodson and Tehama bridges were expected to reach or top minor flood stage by Friday evening.
The Sacramento at the Colusa Bridge in Colusa was forecast to cross into monitor territory at 10 p.m. Friday; while downstream at the Tisdale Weir in Sutter County, its levels were expected to cross the monitoring threshold above 44 feet at 7 p.m. Friday, according to the center.
Trouble remained on the Russian River in Guerneville in Sonoma County; and the Eel River at Fernbridge in Humboldt County. Both rivers were at or above flood stage on Friday.
This story was originally published November 22, 2024 at 1:48 PM.
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