Northern California Weather Forecast: Rain, Sierra Snow Last Weekend of 2024

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – More active weather rounds out the Christmas holiday week and final weekend of 2024.

A series of atmospheric rivers have brought periods of moderate to heavy rain and snow, with the final two waves still to come this week and this weekend.

Be prepared for widespread rain and snow and changing snow levels this weekend. In addition to the precipitation, there will be gusty southerly winds with peak gusts around 35 mph overnight Thursday into Friday. Fog is expected early in the morning on Friday.

A Note on winter weather is in effect until noon Friday above 6,000 feet. Plan for slippery travel conditions with delays and chain control periods. Between Thursday and Friday afternoon, 10 to 30 centimeters of snow is expected to fall.

A Strong wind warning also valid until Friday, 10 a.m. Parts of Marysville, Oroville and Yuba City.

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Snow levels will shift as the colder portion of the storm moves northward throughout the day. This will cause the snow line to rise to nearly 8,000 feet Friday, which is above the pass elevation. This isn’t good news for ski resorts, but it should help make getting into the mountains easier and reduce speeds due to chain controls.

Travel northbound on I-5 should be closely monitored as the primary impacts of this atmospheric river will be felt in the Pacific Northwest.

The final wave of the storm series will arrive Saturday into Sunday, with the largest accumulations occurring toward the end of the weekend. Gusty southerly winds are also expected throughout the day on Saturday.

Snow depths will fall below the pass elevation by Sunday, bringing new concerns for mountain travel.

Total accumulation will be about 1 inch in the valley Thursday through Sunday. In the foothills the values ​​will be closer to 1.5 to 2 inches. The Sierra will see a mix of rain and snow, but there will be a total of 5 to 15 inches of new snow by the end of the weekend.

Keep checking for updates. Stay ahead of any weather changes by downloading the ABC10+ streaming channel on TV. Get advanced forecasts of any weather changes before you head out this holiday season.

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