Weekend will be ‘mixed bag’ of rain, snow and sunny skies in Sacramento and Sierra
It’s been awfully tough to schedule that Tahoe ski trip, hasn’t it?
Caltrans is again discouraging mountain travel as yet another Pacific storm system will bring moderate snow across the Sierra, according to a National Weather Service winter weather advisory in place Friday through Saturday evening.
NWS tweeted that this weekend will be a “mixed bag,” with Valley rain and mountain snow likely Friday afternoon through Saturday evening, while Sunday should be warmer with fair skies.
How much rain?
NWS is now predicting heavier rain in Sacramento than previously forecast, with up to a quarter-inch possible Friday during the day and an additional half-inch possible at night.
Showers will continue early Saturday, clearing out by the evening. Friday has a high of 57 and Saturday a high of 62, with little wind each day.
Sacramento should have a dry respite Sunday, with a high of 66, before showers begin to fall again that evening into early next week as the third storm system in seven days comes to Northern California.
How much snow?
Most of the Sierra will see 4 to 8 inches of snow, with localized amounts up to 1 foot possible, NWS said in a tweet.
Snow levels will be around 5,500 feet Friday before falling to about 4,500 feet Saturday.
The snow totals pale in comparison to blizzard conditions last month, when conditions made the summit virtually impassable, but low visibility and travel difficulties are still expected this weekend, with chain controls likely on Interstate 80.
As of Tuesday, snow and rain so far this season have pushed statewide snowpack water content to 156 percent of average to date, Department of Water Resources data show.
This story was originally published March 21, 2019 at 10:22 AM.
