A wet week ahead as storm door opens in Sacramento

Wet weather is forecast for the week ahead with the heaviest rainfall expected tonight.

The National Weather Service is predicting several storm systems will move through Northern California during the week. Widespread precipitation is forecast for the Sacramento region and travel delays in the mountains are predicted for tonight.

Sacramento could see at least an inch of rain from the first spate of rainfall that is predicted to arrive Monday and continue into Tuesday morning. Light showers are expected today but rain could be heavy tonight.

Up to a foot of snow could fall in the Sierra Nevada down to the 5,000-feet elevation level, according to the NWS.

Another storm is predicted to move through Wednesday night into Thursday. The mid-week storm won’t deliver as much precipitation to Sacramento.

NWS forecasters say that there is uncertainty about possible storms later in the week, but an active wet weather pattern may continue into the weekend.

The 7-day forecast for the Sacramento region from the NWS:

Monday: Rain, mainly before 4pm. High near 54. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Monday night: Rain, mainly after 10pm. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 47. South southeast wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tuesday: Rain before 10am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 10am and 4pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 56. South southwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tuesday night: A chance of showers, mainly before 10pm, then a chance of rain after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Southwest wind around 8 mph becoming south southeast in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Wednesday: Rain likely, mainly after 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 51. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday night: Rain likely, mainly before 10pm. Cloudy, with a low around 43. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 52.

Thursday night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Friday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Saturday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 53.

Saturday night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

This story was originally published January 4, 2016 at 7:00 AM with the headline "A wet week ahead as storm door opens in Sacramento."