Cool, rainy weather coming to Northern California this weekend. Will it douse fires?
Relatively cool temperatures and rain showers are in the forecast this weekend for Northern California, but gusty winds will also bring some wildfire risk to areas where large blazes continue to burn.
Highs in the upper 80s expected Friday will give way to the upper 70s Saturday and Sunday near Sacramento, according to the National Weather Service. Overnight lows could dip into the 50s.
The capital will see about a 40% chance of showers late Saturday night into Sunday morning, forecasts show.
Heavier rain is expected farther north, along the coast and in the northern Sacramento Valley, beginning Saturday afternoon.
Winds accompanying the system have prompted the weather service to issue a fire weather watch starting Saturday afternoon, extending through that evening in some regions and into Sunday for other regions.
Gusts could hit around 40 mph in coastal counties north of the Bay Area, as well as along the Sierra Nevada range.
Wildfire risk despite California showers
Cal Fire and U.S. Forest Service officials advised in updates Thursday and Friday morning that the weekend weather system could make the Dixie Fire (960,470 acres, 86% contained) “more active,” and that ridgetop gusts near the Lake Tahoe Basin close to the Caldor Fire (218,857 acres, 71% contained) could top 30 mph.
Both major wildfires have seen minimal growth and good containment progress this week amid mild winds.
Rainfall is expected to be heavier over a third wildfire burning in the northwestern corner of the state, the 217,000-acre Monument Fire at Shasta-Trinity National Forest, but gusts are also a concern there.
“Anticipated moisture could temporarily reduce some of the threat, though extremely dry conditions are expected to continue through the end of the month,” Forest Service officials wrote.
The Monument Fire is 50% contained.
