‘Multiple’ storms keep flood risk high in Northern California, including Sacramento
More rounds of heavy rain beginning this weekend will bring continued flood risk across much of Northern California through at least the middle of next week, including in the Bay Area and Sacramento Valley, the latest weather forecasts show.
After brief respite on a mostly dry Friday, the National Weather Service predicts the valley could get between 4 and 7 inches of rain from Saturday morning through Wednesday afternoon across “multiple” winter storms. Parts of the foothills could see up to a foot of precipitation.
Gusts near Sacramento on Saturday night could reach 40 mph, forecasts show, once again threatening weakened trees and posing a risk to power lines.
Meanwhile, a winter storm warning has been issued for the Sierra Nevada mountains, in place 4 a.m. Saturday through 4 p.m. Tuesday. Forecasts call for 1 to 3 feet of snow, beginning at elevations as low as 4,000 feet on Saturday before rising to about 7,000 feet Sunday night, then lowering once again Monday and Tuesday.
The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab on Friday morning reported 20 inches of snow in the past 48 hours, bringing the seven-day total to nearly 5 feet.
The weather service has a flood watch in place for Saturday through Wednesday, encompassing most of interior Northern California as well as the entire Bay Area.
Weather and state emergency officials warn that with each successive storm, the flood risk will compound as the ground becomes more saturated, leading to excess runoff into rivers, creeks and streams that are already running high from prior storms.
The NWS Sacramento office on Friday said the coming storms could peak next Monday, when “extreme” impacts are anticipated.
3 deaths after Sacramento County flooding
The latest flood watch advisory includes all of Sacramento County, which saw deadly flooding develop last weekend starting with a powerful New Year’s Eve storm, which also knocked out power for more than 150,000 homes and businesses countywide.
At least three people have been found dead in south Sacramento County floodwaters, which swept through last weekend, stranding drivers on roadways including Highway 99.
Their identities were confirmed Thursday by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office as: Steven Sampson, 45, of McAlester, Oklahoma; Mei Keng Lam, 57 of San Leandro; and Katherine Martinez, 61, of Orland.
Sampson’s body was found Sunday morning in a vehicle near Dillard Road and Highway 99, authorities said.
Lam was found near Dillard Road on Wednesday morning, also near Dillard Road but not in a vehicle. Martinez was located inside a submerged vehicle in Galt.
Minimal damage but many downed trees in latest storm
Gusts topped 50 mph during last weekend’s storm and did so again late Wednesday through early Thursday.
Sacramento County officials on Thursday said county workers had received reports of more than 300 downed trees since New Year’s Eve.
A strong atmospheric river system brought hounding winds and significant rain totals to Northern California in the most recent storm. Downtown Sacramento recorded close to 1 1/2 inches of rain Wednesday and Thursday, according to the weather service.
This week’s storm mostly spared the Sacramento region of major damage or disruption, though there were scattered reports of localized roadway flooding, including in Folsom and rural parts of Placer County.
However, the latest storm battered other regions, including coastal areas such as Santa Cruz County, where a pier collapsed amid heavy rain and high tides.
This story was originally published January 6, 2023 at 9:56 AM.
