Weekend storm expected to bring as much as 5 feet of snow to Sierra and 1 inch of rain to Sacramento
SACRAMENTO - On the heels of two recent, wet storms that left several feet of snow in the Sierra and near-record rain in the valley, we're in for another powerful storm later this week.
The next storm is expected to arrive Thursday evening and will linger through Monday. Based on the preliminary forecast, the storm is expected to bring several feet of snow and multiple inches of rainfall.
Timing
The storm will move into the region around 5 p.m. Thursday. Friday morning will be clear, and then another system will move in Friday night, lingering throughout Saturday and into Sunday. There will then be more opportunities for rain in the valley Monday.
Totals
According to UC Berkeley's Central Sierra Snow Lab at Donner Pass, the 7-day snowfall total is 48.4". By the time the storm moves out Monday, the Sierra could see up to another 60" of snow.
We could also see up to another inch of rainfall in Sacramento. Parts of the foothills could see as much as two inches.
Since October 1, Sacramento has had 3.28" inches (measured at Sacramento Executive Airport) and Stockton has had 2.65".
We're off to a great start for the water year, there's a long way to go before the region emerges from its extreme drought.
"Last year we saw a record-breaking October and December which gave way to the driest January through March period on record," according to a Department of Water Resources spokesperson. "Consider this a football game and we're just in the 1st quarter…we've got three more quarters to go."
The Sierra snowpack is looking good. According to the National Weather Service, California is at 175 percent of average to date with 165 percent of average for the northern Sierra. The map below, tweeted Tuesday, shows the current snow depth.
As of December 1, about 41 percent of the state, including the Sacramento region, is under extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
