SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — Northern California is again bracing for a promising snowstorm as scientists hold out hope for improvements to the state’s waning snowpack.
Rain and snow should hit northern parts of the state by Saturday, meteorologists say, with particular benefits for the northern Sierra mountain ranges.
The National Weather Service’s Sacramento office stated on X (formerly Twitter) that snow will begin to fall Friday night in the southern Cascades and northern Sierras — with between six to 15 inches falling in the mountains at elevations of 6,000 feet or higher.
That includes Twin Bridges and Echo Summit in the Tahoe area, where up to two feet of snow could fall. Snow could continue to fall throughout Saturday and into the early hours of Sunday morning.
In a weather bulletin released Friday morning, the National Weather Service said the storm system will gradually spread from north to south through Saturday evening. The Sacramento Valley can expect up to 1.25 inches of rain, particularly in the Redding and Shasta County region to the north.
“This will be a warmer, wetter storm than the previous one, with a strong tropical moisture tap and raising snow levels,” the bulletin stated. “Overall, precipitation tapers off Sunday morning as high pressure moves over our area with lingering light mountain snowfall possible through mid-day. Monday looks cool and dry.”
Officials discouraged any travel at higher elevations during heavy snowfall, warning that wind gusts could hit 50 mph and that roads will be slick and dangerous.
“If you must travel in the mountains this holiday weekend, be sure to monitor the latest forecast and road updates and take extra precautions such as packing extra food and water," the National Weather Service stated. "With these conditions, travel could be very difficult to impossible.”
The storm system arrives days after a deadly avalanche at Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley on Wednesday took the life of Kenneth Kidd, 66, a resident of both nearby Truckee and Point Reyes near San Francisco.
Three other people were treated for injuries and released. The avalanche’s cause is under investigation.
A second reported avalanche happened around 12:30 p.m. in the same area Thursday.
Still, some may welcome the precipitation following a report that California is in dire need of a more robust snowpack. The Sierra’s is currently at only 60% of average snowpack levels, while the state overall is at 42%.
The wet season in California runs from December to February. Experts say the next two to four weeks will be critical to determine the state’s long-term water reserves, much of which is stored in snowpack.
Many reservoirs are holding more water than usual — like Shasta Lake, currently sitting at 114% of its historical average — but California may have to rely more on those reservoirs this coming year if snowpack does not significantly improve.
For now, though, the state remains nearly 100% free of drought except at its northernmost border and in a desert-y region in the southeast of the state, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
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