Sacramento’s first taste of fall weather is here — how much rain is expected?
The Sacramento region is easing into autumn with its first taste of fall-like weather — and it’s coming with a one-two punch of cooler temperatures and showers expected through midweek.
A pair of low-pressure systems will bring unsettled conditions starting Monday, according to the National Weather Service. The first system is forecast to arrive early Monday, followed by a second on Wednesday, keeping the capital region damp and breezy through Thursday.
By Sunday morning, onshore cloud cover had already blanketed much of the Sacramento Valley and western Sierra, as shown in satellite images shared by the weather service.
Forecasters noted that there’s a 50% to 85% of a quarter-inch or more of precipitation across the Sacramento Valley between Monday and Wednesday.
Over the next couple of days, highs in Sacramento will hover around 75 degrees, with cooler readings across the foothills and Sierra Nevada. While the capital city has just a 39% chance of receiving more than a half-inch of rain from the back-to-back systems, northern parts of the state could see significantly more precipitation: Redding has a 55% chance of getting over an inch, while Eureka’s odds are 93%.
In the Sierra, the weather service warned that isolated thunderstorms through Monday may bring lightning, gusty winds, small hail and bursts of heavy rain. Although rainfall is not expected to trigger landslides in burn scar areas, fire officials are watching for potential new fire starts outside main precipitation zones.
South Lake Tahoe and the surrounding basin could see a mix of rain and mountain snow above 9,000 feet. Daytime highs will stay in the mid-50s to low 60s through midweek.
Auburn and the foothill communities are expected to have active weather, too. Showers are likely on Monday, with a chance of thunderstorms after 2 p.m. The chance of precipitation stands at 60%, with slightly higher rainfall amounts possible in thunderstorms. Similar conditions continue into Monday night, followed by a 30% chance of lingering showers Tuesday morning. Highs will reach the upper 60s to low 70s through Wednesday.
Across the region, overnight lows are expected to range in the low 60s to upper 50s on the Valley floor and low elevations with higher elevations seeing temperatures drop to the low 40s.
Friday is expected to see the return of dry weather with a slight warming trend.
