As a powerful atmospheric river continues to saturate Northern California with rain and mountain snow, the National Weather Service in Sacramento has issued a number of warnings and watches for the region. The situation is changing, with the Winter Storm Warning now being extended until 8 AM this morning for elevations above 3,500 feet, including major thoroughfares like Interstate 80, making travel in these areas especially dangerous.
Additionally, a Flood Watch is still in effect through early Saturday morning for valley foothill locations generally north of Interstate 80 and below 3,000 feet, and a Winter Storm Watch has been issued for elevations above 5,500 feet in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades from tomorrow afternoon through Tuesday. This will affect major routes like Interstate 80 and Highway 50. According to Caltrans and CHP, roads in the Valley are slick and in the mountains are covered in snow, which could have an impact on anyone planning travel during Thanksgiving week.
The National Weather Service predicts that by Saturday, the Valley will receive 1–5 inches of cumulative rain and the foothills will receive 3–12 inches. In addition, strong southerly winds that continue to reach 25–40 mph are expected to make things more difficult, especially in the Northern and Central Sacramento Valley and nearby foothills, where a Wind Advisory is in effect until 7 AM.
According to the National Weather Service, isolated thunderstorms that could form tomorrow afternoon into Saturday could worsen the situation by producing small hail, heavy rain, lightning, and gusty winds. In addition, higher elevations are expected to see moderate to heavy snowfall over the weekend and into next week, and the Valley could receive an additional 1 inch or more of rain through Wednesday.
As the weather front creeps inland, delays to travel are a major concern. Travelers, particularly those planning an outdoor vacation, are advised by the National Weather Service to visit weather.gov/sto and quickmap.dot.ca.gov to be informed about the most recent road conditions and forecasts.
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