The National Weather Service says the forecast for Sacramento is a little bit of a mixed bag. There will be “periods of rain and mountain snow expected through Tuesday with breezy southerly winds,” and today, just for good measure, there will also be thunderstorms. Although a “10-20% chance of isolated thunderstorms this afternoon and evening” doesn’t seem like much, heed NWS’s warning to “GO INDOORS!” if you hear thunder, especially since there may be “brief heavy rain, gusty winds, small hail, and lightning.” The NWS website has a full prediction that includes information on a Winter Storm Warning.
Because the Winter Storm Warning is in effect “until 4 PM Tuesday for elevations above 6000 feet along the Sierra/ Southern Cascades,” important roads such as Interstate 80 and Highway 50 will be affected. The NWS advises that “total snowfall accumulations are expected to be between 1 and 4 feet with up to 5 feet along the higher peaks of the Sierra,” so if you’re intending to travel over the mountains, be ready to deal with snow. With predicted precipitation quantities ranging from “0.75” to 1.75″ in the Valley, 1.00″ to 3.00″ in the foothills, and 2.00″ to 4.00″ in the mountains, rain is expected to keep things wet even for those who choose to stay in the Valley. It looks like the ideal moment to prepare for the dry weather of Thanksgiving day by getting comfortable inside.
There may be sporadic showers continuing into Wednesday, which could lead to “additional rainfall accumulations less than an inch over the mountains and snowfall amounts 3 to 5 inches above 6000′.” The rainy season is far from over. However, the extended forecast looks dry starting on Thursday for those of us hoping to enjoy a family football game over Thanksgiving. According to NWS, a ridge of high pressure is expected to return calmer skies and smaller, “slightly below normal temperatures,” which may be seen as an unofficial welcome to winter in NorCal.
For those of us who choose to travel by air, the weather may have an impact on flight schedules. The National Weather Service warns that “Scattered light to moderate precipitation later today (13Z-02Z) will result in periods of VFR/MVFR conditions across the Valley and foothills with areas of IFR/LIFR in the mountains.” Clearer skies after 05Z tomorrow may provide some reprieve, although strong southerly winds of up to 40 kts over Sierra might also be difficult. Therefore, before you go to the airport, it’s a good idea to check with your airline for any weather-related updates.
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