Sunshine returned to the Sacramento region Friday after Thursday’s drenching rains, but forecasters said more wet weather is in store Saturday through the start of the workweek.
An inch of rain or more fell in communities across the capital region with Thursday’s wet and windy storm, but the weekend’s dovetailing systems should pack a weaker punch, said Kate Forrest, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Sacramento. Forecasters anticipate a half-inch to three-quarters of an inch of rain from each of the two patterns.
The first of the two systems is expected to move into the Sacramento area with a chance of showers Saturday afternoon. The rain should stick around into Sunday morning, Forrest said, before the second batch of weather moves in on Sunday afternoon.
“The systems almost blend into each other,” Forrest said. The Sunday system will stretch into Monday afternoon before tapering off in the evening hours. Showers could linger into early Tuesday, Forrest said.
In response to the forecast, Sacramento County extended its weather respite through 10 a.m. Monday.
Warren E. Thornton Youth Center, 4000 Branch Center Road, will be open until 10 a.m. Monday to people 18 years of age and older. Pets, one per single, two per couple, are welcome. Pets must be kept in crates indoors and must be secured by a leash outdoors and around the center.
Outreach and Engagement Center, 3615 Auburn Blvd., opens 1 p.m. Saturday until 8 a.m. Monday.
Sacramento Regional Transit is offering free rides on its buses and light rail trains to the weather respite centers. Riders can screenshot or print a free ride flyer to show to RT driver or operator upon boarding.
The warmer weekend front means Sierra Nevada snow levels will remain relatively high. Snow levels Saturday and into Sunday will be about 6,000 feet, dipping slightly to the 5,500-foot level Monday morning.
The incoming storms will build on totals from Thursday’s downpour and mark a wet start to the new water year, which began Oct. 1. Sacramento has recorded 3.79 inches of rain since then — 200% above normal, which is typically 1.41 inches by mid-November, Forrest said.
The rainfall total since Jan. 1, 10.29 inches, still lags 3 inches below Sacramento’s normal 13.61 inches, Forrest said.
Related Stories from Sacramento Bee
Darrell Smith
The Sacramento Bee
Darrell Smith is a local reporter for The Sacramento Bee. He joined The Bee in 2006 and previously worked at newspapers in Palm Springs, Colorado Springs and Marysville. Smith was born and raised at Beale Air Force Base and lives in Elk Grove.
