Cool and showery weather will continue today, mainly over the mountains and south of Sacramento in the Central Valley. Dry weather returns Tuesday, then another weather system will bring a quick shot of precipitation and wind later Wednesday and Wednesday night before showers end on Thursday. A prolonged period of dry weather is then expected later in the week into next week.

There is a prolonged break in wet weather in sight, starting late Thursday, early Friday

Discussion

Cool upper trough digs south of the area today. Radar shows extensive light to moderate rain currently to the south of Sacramento as a strong vort moves onshore just to the south of the Bay Area.

Rain forecast for today, light amounts only compared to previous storms.

Some light snow is continuing in the northern Sierra, mainly from about I-80 southward, but snow will likely increase again early this morning as the vort swings inland.

Snow forecast today, snow levels are lower than previous storms, at approx. 3,000 ft

By this afternoon, most of the remaining showers are expected to be occurring in the Sierra while the next couple upstream vorts slide onshore further to the south. Some showers will linger this evening across the northern Sierra, then about a 36 hour window of dry weather is expected into midday Wednesday as short-wave ridging moves across NorCal.

The next system for later Wednesday into early Thursday will move through quickly bringing a shot of precipitation to the region mainly Wednesday night.

Some flurries down to the 2,000 ft level possible on Wednesday

Snow levels will be lower with this system as cool dry northerly flow filters in ahead of it on Tuesday, and some light snowfall accumulations will be possible down into the foothills.

Some light precip on Wednesday, mostly falling as snow in the Foothills

The quick movement of the system will limit overall QPF with less than 1/2 an inch expected in the valley with a 1/2 to 1 inch possible over the northern Sierra. Travel impacts over the Sierra will likely be mainly Wednesday night into Thursday morning with about 6-8 inches of snowfall accumulation expected.

Behind that system, stronger ridging over the eastern Pacific is forecast to move closer to the coast bringing northerly flow and an extended period of dry weather beginning late this week.

Extended Discussion (Friday through Monday)

It looks like we will finally get a break from the wet pattern. Upper level trough will be pushing south and east early Thursday. A few showers may linger in the mountains but dry weather will set in quickly by the afternoon as upper level ridging builds in.

The ridge will remain in place into the weekend. Upper level trough will then dig into the Great Basin early next week and will bring increased northerly flow.