Winter weather through early this week, freezing temperatures possible Monday night into late week

Periods of widespread Valley rain, mountain snow, and gusty winds expected early this week. Holiday travel will be impacted, especially over mountain passes. Foothill snow possible at times through Wednesday. Cold temperatures Monday night into next weekend.

Discussion

Low pressure area over the region continues to bring unsettled weather to the interior with numerous showers. As the next one takes aim and is moving closer winds have picked up over the northern end of the valley. Some of the latest guidance is hinting at the winds staying up at lest though midnight but also spreading further south into the central Sacramento valley this evening. We will be issuing a wind advisory for those areas.

Overnight snow levels will generally be in the 2000 to 2500 foot elevation for the foothills and near 1000 feet over the north. Colder air will continue to filter into the region on Monday with lowering snow levels down to around 1000 feet. Snow levels should lower down to 1000 feet by mid to late Monday morning over the foothills as the coldest air moves into the region.

This system may be the able to bring some snow showers to the northern half of the Sacramento valley but amounts look negligible at this time. This system will also bring significant amount of snow to the foothills up to 2 feet near 3000 feet.

Showers will diminish late afternoon and evening hours over the Motherlode on Monday but should be diminishing earlier over the northern areas. Light winds and the potential for some clearing in the evening may result in freezing temperatures for Tuesday morning so have continued the Freeze Watch.

The coldest temperatures will be over the far northern end of the valley with lows in the mid 20s. Further south the outlying areas may cool off into the upper 20s with the cities staying around freezing.

Late Tuesday and Wednesday a weak system will at least spread clouds over the region and maybe some light amounts of precipitation. This will likely help to prevent a hard freeze for Wednesday morning. Snow levels should mainly be in the 1500 to 2500 foot elevation range.

Extended Discussion (Thursday through Sunday)

On Thursday, a retrograding closed low will be located off the southern California coast with cold and drier conditions seen in the wake of this system.

Near to below freezing temperatures may continue in the northern and central portion of the Sacramento Valley this morning with a Freeze Watch continuing for much of the area, including some locations in the Motherlode.

Dry weather may be short lived as another wave moves in from the PacNW late Thursday into Friday bringing additional precipitation chances, mainly to mountains.

Ensembles hint at weak troughing across NorCal for the New Year, before another potential trough moves towards the area late weekend. Clusters still indicate both timing and amplitude uncertainties for the end of the extended period.