textproduct: Sacramento

KEY MESSAGES

- Series of atmospheric rivers will bring major holiday travel impacts from periods of heavy rain, heavy mountain snow, and gusty winds throughout the week. - High snow levels begin falling from late Tuesday onward. Heaviest snow is expected Wednesday and Thursday, with snowfall rates of 1-2" per hour at times.

- Periods of heavy rainfall are anticipated across the Valley and lower foothills with additional flood impacts possible through the end of the week. - Gusty southerly winds arrive mid to late week, with the strongest wind gusts on Wednesday and Thursday.

..Saturday through Monday

By Saturday, the longwave trough is forecast to eject out of NorCal with a trend toward drier weather looking likely through the weekend and into early next week. As the system is departing the area on Saturday, there will be some potential for breezy to gusty north winds in the Valley, but exact details remain uncertain. Otherwise, with some indications for ridging to build in by early next week, there will at least be a chance for Valley fog to return the region.

AVIATION

Areas of MVFR/IFR/LIFR in precipitation and low ceilings across the southern Sacramento Valley, Delta, and Sierra primarily along and south of I-80 through this afternoon and early evening, then activity shifts northward across the northern/central Sacramento Valley and adjacent terrain. Brief lull in activity tomorrow across most areas, except for the northern Sacramento Valley and adjacent terrain. Potential for MVFR/IFR/LIFR ceilings and/or visibilities in dense fog/mist across portions of the southern Sacramento Valley and northern San Joaquin Valley after 06z-12z Tuesday. Increased southerly winds after 18z Tuesday, strongest after 00z Wednesday with sustained winds 20 to 30 kts and gusts 35-50 kts in the Valley and foothills. Southwesterly wind gusts up to 40-55 kts over the mountains after 18z Tue - 00z Wednesday.

STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Flood Watch through Friday afternoon for Burney Basin / Eastern Shasta County-Carquinez Strait and Delta-Central Sacramento Valley-Motherlode-Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County-Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley- Northern Sacramento Valley-Northern San Joaquin Valley-Shasta Lake Area / Northern Shasta County-Southern Sacramento Valley- West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada-Western Plumas County/Lassen Park.

Winter Storm Warning from 10 PM Tuesday through 10 PM PST Friday for West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada-Western Plumas County/Lassen Park.

Winter Storm Warning from 4 PM Wednesday to 10 PM PST Friday for Burney Basin / Eastern Shasta County-Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County-Shasta Lake Area / Northern Shasta County.

High Wind Watch from Tuesday afternoon through Friday afternoon for Carquinez Strait and Delta-Central Sacramento Valley- Motherlode-Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley-Northern Sacramento Valley-Northern San Joaquin Valley-Southern Sacramento Valley.