“Torrential Rain and Snowstorms on the Horizon” The National Weather Service has issued flood watches for California’s Central Valley, including Sacramento, the Sierra below snow level, and the Bay Area. The potential for localized flooding in these regions will persist until Tuesday night.
Tuesday will see continued heavy rain in Northern California, with the system gradually moving southward, bringing rain to select parts of Southern California, particularly later in the day. Additionally, lower elevations in the Pacific Northwest should anticipate more snow showers.
As we move into Wednesday, the rain is expected to subside in much of California, though some lingering showers will persist, especially in Southern California. Meanwhile, off-and-on snow showers will continue to affect the Pacific Northwest, creating potentially hazardous driving conditions, especially in hilly areas.
Looking ahead to late in the week, another weather system is projected to hit the West Coast on Thursday and Friday. This system will represent a more typical Pacific event compared to the current atmospheric river scenario. It is expected to be colder, resulting in more snow than rain in the Sierra and foothills. Nonetheless, the bulk of the precipitation is likely to occur in northern and central California, with Southern California receiving lighter amounts.
In terms of precipitation amounts, significant snowfall is forecast for the Sierra, Siskiyous, and northern Rockies, with some lowland cities like Seattle, Portland, and Medford, Oregon, potentially seeing additional snow. Northern California is expected to receive 1 to 3 inches of additional rainfall, while Santa Barbara County in Southern California has the highest chance of seeing at least an inch of rain.
Jonathan Belles, a seasoned graphics meteorologist and writer for weather.com, with eight years of experience, is behind this in-depth rain and snow forecast. A graduate of Florida State University and St. Petersburg College, Jonathan enjoys covering tropical weather, high-impact weather events, news stories, and winter storms.
