Snow, rain, giant boulders: What’s the weekend weather outlook in Northern California?
A giant rock wasn’t going to be the only thing delaying your mountain travel plans this weekend.
Sierra Nevada snow showers are in the forecast Friday evening through Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service, which has issued a winter weather advisory in effect from 5 p.m. Friday to 1 p.m. Saturday in the central Sierra.
About 2 to 5 inches of snow are expected across most of the greater Tahoe area, while 5 to 10 inches could fall above 7,000 feet west of Highway 89, according to the advisory.
“A second round of precipitation this afternoon will create difficult mountain travel conditions, so the window to head to the Sierra is closing!” the weather service’s Sacramento office said in a tweet just before noon.
The heaviest bout of snow is expected to begin around 7 p.m. Friday, according to the weather service.
High temperatures at South Lake Tahoe are forecast to drop to the low 30s Saturday, staying in the 30s Sunday and Monday before warming up to the 40s next week.
As for that boulder: Caltrans and construction crews by midday Friday had blasted away at a semitruck-sized rock that fell Thursday evening onto Highway 50 near Echo Summit. But the busy stretch of mountain highway is expected to be closed in both directions for a few more hours Friday as crews clear away remaining debris.
Meanwhile in the valley, weather service forecasts around midday Friday showed a slight chance of light rain in Sacramento between Friday evening and Saturday morning.
Rain would be a welcome sight: the capital hasn’t received measurable rainfall since Jan. 7, a staggering 55-day dry spell during what is normally considered the region’s wet season. Some light rain fell Thursday and Friday morning farther north in the Sacramento Valley.
The latest forecasts show Sacramento will reach daytime highs of around 58 degrees Saturday and 63 on Sunday, cooling to the mid-30s each night.
Moderate wind gusts are also in the Sacramento Valley forecast Friday afternoon and evening, expected to reach speeds up to about 25 mph near the capital.
