Parts of Sacramento area under flood warning as river levels rise. How much rain will we get?
Sections of the Sacramento River were flowing high Wednesday morning, placing parts of the Valley under a flood warning.
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for portions of Woodland and Davis, as well as Sacramento International Airport, that will remain in effect through 6 a.m. Friday.
At point in the Sacramento metropolitan area, the river showed minor flooding, while water was flowing into a bypass.
Rain was expected to return to the Sacramento area on Wednesday night after a brief dry spell early in the week.
Here’s what to know:
What’s in the weather forecast for Sacramento?
The Sacramento area was expected to be mostly sunny on Wednesday, with a high temperature near 55 degrees and a low temperature around 48 degrees.
Showers were expected to start after 10 p.m. Wednesday, with overnight precipitation expected between three-quarters of an inch and one inch. Wind gusts could reach 41 mph.
Thursday had a 80% chance of showers with the possibility of a thunderstorm.
Sacramento could see new rain totals of a half-inch to three-quarters of an inch.
Wind gusts could gust up to 39 mph on Thursday, when the high will be around 60 and the overnight low near 49.
There’s a chance of rain totaling a tenth to a quarter of an inch overnight Thursday, with winds gusting as high as 29 mph.
Friday has about a 50% chance of rain, the weather service said, with a high around 60 and a low around 40.
Skies will mostly clear up as Sacramento heads into the weekend.
Where is it flooding in Sacramento?
On Wednesday morning, the Yolo Bypass was flooded at the Lisbon forecast point, west of the Pocket neighborhood in Sacramento.
At 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Sacramento River was at 19.71 feet at the forecast point, according to the California Nevada River Forecast Center.
The Yolo Bypass is considered to be at “minor flood” levels when the Lisbon gauge reads 19 feet.
The river first hit the flooding point on Friday, Feb. 7, around 4 p.m. and has stayed above 19 feet since.
The river level hit a peak of 20.8 feet early Sunday morning, according to the river forecast center.
According to the river forecast center, water levels should recede below minor flooding levels on Thursday afternoon before briefly hitting around 19 feet on Saturday and lowering again.
Brett Whitin, a meteorologist with the weather service, said there is a delay from when it rains to when water levels rise at the Yolo Bypass.
Although rain is expected to fall in the area on Thursday, the river water level at Lisbon may not rise until Friday afternoon.
With water levels at roughly 19 feet, County Roads 107 and 155 begin to flood, the river forecast center said.
So do some area duck clubs — areas of the river marsh put aside for private duck hunting and conservation efforts — and local roads south of the Interstate 80 causeway.
The only other point on the Sacramento River that was at flooding levels as of Wednesday morning was Tehama Bridge along Highway 99 East north of Chico.
How high is the water in other Sacramento-area rivers?
The Cosumnes River was not flooding Wednesday morning, but the river forecast center predicted it would briefly flow into a levee on Thursday and Friday.
River levels at the Michigan Bar forecast point, near Rancho Murieta Country Club, was forecast to pass the 7-foot “monitor” stage — meaning water will start flowing in river bypasses — on Thursday evening through late Friday.
The McConnell forecast point, just south of Elk Grove along Highway 99, is expected to enter the monitor stage early Friday morning until Saturday morning.
The American River under the H Street Bridge in Sacramento was at around 24.5 feet Wednesday morning, well below the flooding height of 42 feet.
Is my Sacramento home at risk of flooding?
According to the Federal Emergency Management Area, these are the parts of Sacramento that face risks of flooding:
You can check if your house is in a flood-risk area by typing your address in to FEMA’s flood map service center.
How do I stay safe in a flood?
The weather service offers these tips for staying safe amid a flood:
- Turn around if you encounter a flooded road in your vehicle
- Don’t drive around barricades or through flood waters
- Have a plan for evacuation and maintain an evacuation kit
According to the city of Sacramento, this is what your emergency kit should include:
Important documents, such as copies of birth certificates and insurance policies
Batteries
Flashlights
Battery-powered radio with extra batteries
Medication
Food and water that will last at least three days
Cat carriers, dog leashes and pet food
This story was originally published February 12, 2025 at 2:42 PM.
