Winter storm watch issued for Northern California foothills. Here’s what to expect
Weather conditions in the Northern California foothills could be treacherous this weekend, the National Weather Service said.
On Wednesday, the weather service issued a winter storm watch for the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade mountains on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The watch officially goes into effect Saturday and stays in place through Sunday, the weather service said, although it didn’t give specific times.
According to the weather service, elevations above 3,000 feet could possibly receive 10 to 20 inches of snow.
“Totals & timing are still uncertain as the storm evolves,” the agency wrote in its post.
Here’s what you can expect:
What’s in the weather forecast for Sierra Nevada?
According to the weather service’s most recent forecast for the northern Sierra Nevada area, Thursday will have a 30% chance of snow after 5 a.m.
Skies will be mostly sunny with a high temperature near 37 degrees and a low temperature around 20 degrees, the weather service said.
There will be less than half an inch possible for new snow accumulation.
According to the forecast, there will be a 30% chance of snow on Friday before 11 a.m with partly sunny skies. The high will be near 34 and the low around 15. Less than one inch of snow is possible.
Saturday has an 80% chance of heavy snow between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 29 and the low around 9.
“The snow could be heavy at times,” the forecast states.
A total of 5 to 9 inches of snow are possible, the weather service said.
Sunday has a slight chance of snow with mostly sunny skies, according to the forecast. The high will be near 24 and the low around 9.
How much snow could fall in Northern California foothills?
The National Weather Service’s latest forecast for the foothills shows a 30% chance of rain and snow after 4 a.m.
The high temeperature will be near 42, while the low temperature will be around 29, the weather service said. Little to no snow accumulation is expected.
Friday has a 30% chance of rain and showers before 10 a.m with mostly sunny skies and a high near 42, according to the weather service. The low will be around 27.
On Saturday, there is an 80% chance of snow showers will begin after 10 a.m., the agency said, with 3 to 5 inches of snow possible. The high will be near 34 and the low around 20.
Sunday has a slight chance of snow showers with a high near 33 and a low near 22, according to the weather service.
This story was originally published January 3, 2024 at 4:10 PM.
