Dig out the rain and snow gear! The valley could see over 5 inches of rain and the Sierra passes could pick up 5 feet of snow!
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Weather conditions forecast for the Sacramento region over the next week involves a lot of rain and Sierra snow!
A prolonged atmospheric river event – in this case a Pineapple Express – will bring big weather impacts by the end of this weekend into all of next week.
This comes as many people plan to hit the roads for holiday travel.
Get ready for a big shift in the weather pattern.
When
There are 5 consecutive days of Weather Impact Alert conditions — Sunday, December 21 to Thursday, December 25. There are however two rounds of storms coming in, without a break in between.
Storm #1 arrives on Sunday and continues through Tuesday. This is likely to be the bigger rain event, with snow levels remaining above the passes until Tuesday. Snow levels start high at about 9000 ft on Sunday, dropping to pass level by Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
Storm #2 arrives on Wednesday and continues through Thursday. This storm, while still bringing significant valley rain, will be a much snowier storm for the high country. Snow levels will be between 5000 and 6000 feet throughout Christmas Eve and Christmas.
► Stay up to date with the forecast and weather impact team with the ABC10+ streaming app. Here’s how to download it for free.
Impact
Heavy rain will make travel difficult in the valley with soggy streets and possible clogged storm drains.
Rivers will rise dramatically, but not flood. The Sacramento River in Sacramento is expected to at least double in height through next week, climbing from 7 feet to over 14 feet. The passive Colusa and Tisdale weirs on the Sacramento River are expected to begin flowing by Monday night. And the Cosumnes River at Interstate 5 is expected to rise by more than 15 feet!
Snow levels will also be changing as colder air starts to arrive late Monday. Earlier bands of rain will keep snow elevations well above the passes, so expect a rainy drive over the Sierra on Sunday. But by late Monday, rain is likely to change over to snow at the passes and get heavier as the sun rises on Tuesday.
This will be a long-duration event with impacts through the holiday week. There is no good day to travel, but if you need to cross I-80 or US-50, go before the snow begins. Just be ready for slow conditions due to the heavy rain.
Weather Impact Resources
► FORECAST DETAILS | Check out our hourly forecast and radar pages
► GET WEATHER ALERTS TO YOUR PHONE | Download the free ABC10 mobile app ► GO DEEPER | Stream in-depth weather forecasts and investigative reports with the free ABC10+ streaming app
► WEATHER IN YOUR EMAIL | Sign up for our daily newsletter
► MEET THE WEATHER IMPACT TEAM | Chief Meteorologist Monica Woods, Brenden Mincheff, Rob Carlmark
Need
Dig out the rain and/or snow gear!
Plan for extra travel time. Monday is still a workday for many people, which could lead to a slow and sloppy morning commute. Roads will be wet all week as rain never completely lets up.
By late Monday or early Tuesday morning, chain controls will be in place in the Sierra. This is one of those storms where Caltrans crews will likely be unable to keep up with the falling snow. Road closures are very possible. Be ready for long delays.
There is no good day to travel, but if you need to cross I-80 or US-50, go before the snow begins.
Stay tuned for the latest weather updates.
ABC10: Watch, Download, Read
For more ABC10 news and weather coverage on your time, stream ABC10+ on your TV for free:
► Roku – click here
► Amazon Fire – click here
► Apple TV – click here
GO DEEPER: The ABC10 Weather Impact Team investigates algae and bacterial threats to some of California’s largest natural lakes.