Rain, gusty winds buffet Sacramento as winter weather comes to stay
Rain, snow and gusty winds hitting the Sacramento area and Northern California are expected to linger through the work week.
Rainfall totals across the capital region reached more than an inch in some parts through 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to National Weather Service data.
Sacramento International Airport recorded 1.03 inches. Sacramento Executive Airport measured 0.6 inches, while downtown Sacramento logged 0.77 inches. Carmichael saw 0.78 inches, while Elk Grove recorded 1.07 inches.
Higher elevations saw more meaningful gains in the way of snow. Across the Sierra, colder air lowered snow levels to roughly 3,500 to 4,500 feet, allowing several inches of new accumulation above that elevation.
But snow levels are expected to drop as low as 1,000 feet periodically through Saturday.
The Sacramento area is under a wind advisory through 10 p.m. Thursday, with southerly winds of 15 to 25 mph and gusts of 35 to 45 mph.
Trees could be blown down and high winds may cause power outages, the weather service said.
The rain brought yearly totals to just above average at Sacramento Executive Airport, which has received 11.61 inches of rain this water year compared to the 11.59 inch average as of 2 a.m. Tuesday.
Sacramento has recorded a total of 1.94 inches of rain to date in February.
24-hour rain totals through 8 a.m.
- Sacramento (downtown): 0.77 inches
- Sacramento Executive Airport: 0.6 inches
- Sacramento International Airport: 1.03 inches
- Carmichael: 0.78 inches
- Rancho Cordova: 0.83 inches
- Elk Grove: 1.07 inches
- Mather: 0.95 inches
- Roseville: 1.65 inches
- Auburn: 1.85 inches
Fresh snow blankets the Sierra
The storm added several inches of fresh snow across the Tahoe region — a welcome boost to a snowpack that remains below seasonal averages.
New accumulation since Monday ranged from a 5 inches in Alpine County to 29 inches in Fresno County..
Carson Pass gained 13 inches. Forestdale Creek gained 19 inches, bringing total snow depth to 65 inches. Ebbetts Pass rose 17 inches to 57 inches.
Truckee gained 13 inches to 37 inches of total snow depth.
24-hour new snow totals through 8:30 a.m.
- Upper Burnt Corral, Fresno County: 29.0 inches in 24 hours (92.1 inches total)
- Lake Tenaya, Tuolumne County: 27.3 (77.4)
- Graveyard Meadow, Fresno County: 26.6 (44.8)
- Huntington Lake, Fresno County: 23.2 (50.9)
- Vogelsang, Tuolumne County: 21.9 (69.4)
- Sunnyside Meadow, Tuolumne County: 20.7 (36.1)
- Tuolumne Meadows, Tuolumne County: 19.9 (51.2)
- Dana Meadows, Tuolumne County: 19.8 (72.9)
- Forestdale Creek, Alpine County: 19.0 (65.0)
- Central Sierra Snow Lab, Placer County: 18.0 (56.0)
- White Wolf, Tuolumne County: 18.1 (55.4)
- Ward Creek #3, Placer County: 17.0 (51.0)
- Ebbetts Pass, Alpine County: 17.0 (57.0)
- Sonora Pass, Tuolumne County: 17.0 (52.0)
- Paradise Meadow, El Dorado County: 16.6 (51.6)
- Echo Peak, El Dorado County: 15.0 (52.0)
- Tamarack Summit, Placer County: 15.2 (31.3)
- Blue Lakes, Alpine County: 14.0 (50.0)
- Truckee #2, Nevada County: 13.0 (37.0)
- Carson Pass, Alpine County: 13.0 (59.0)
- Rubicon #2, El Dorado County: 13.0 (38.0)
- Middle Boulder 3, Placer County: 13.7 (34.5)
- Tahoe City Cross, Placer County: 12.0 (20.0)
- Hagans Meadow, Alpine County: 12.0 (32.0)
- Independence Lake, Sierra County: 12.0 (72.0)
- Palisades Tahoe, Placer County: 11.0 (57.0)
- Independence Creek, Placer County: 10.0 (28.0)
- Heavenly Valley, El Dorado County: 9.0 (33.0)
- Martis Creek, Placer County: 8.3 (19.4)
- Monitor Pass, Alpine County: 5.0 (32.0)
What does the rest of the week look like?
Rainy and windy conditions are expected to continue through Thursday night, with mostly sunny conditions forecast in Sacramento for Friday.
Major travel impacts are expected in the foothills and mountains.
After a brief break Friday and possibly Saturday, more rain is expected Sunday, Feb. 22 and Monday, Feb. 23.
Snow levels are projected to fall from 2,500 to 3,500 feet to as low as 1,500 to 2,000 feet, at times as low as 1,000 feet and below 1,000 feet in Shasta County, through Saturday
In the Valley, isolated thunderstorms and up to 1.5 inches of rain are forecast for the Sacramento area through Thursday.
This story was originally published February 17, 2026 at 10:01 AM.