Northern California forecast: Rain, thunderstorms and Sierra snow pick up Tuesday
MONICA MOUNTAINS. LET’S GO NOW TO OUR WEATHER COVERAGE, STARTING WITH VIDEO OF HAIL COMING DOWN IN THE GRASS VALLEY AREA THAT WAS SENT IN BY ONE OF OUR VIEWERS. WE WANT TO THANK YOU, MARK, FOR SENDING THIS IN AND RAIN EARLIER TODAY HAD THE GROUNDS CREW. WELL, THEY WERE HUSTLING OUT AT SUTTER HEALTH PARK, SCRAMBLING TO GET THE TARP ONTO THE FIELD. AND THAT TARP HELPS KEEP THE INFIELD DRY AHEAD OF GAMES. AND IT CERTAINLY DID THE TRICK TODAY. IT LOOKED JUST PERFECT BEFORE GAME TIME. THE SUN EVEN CAME OUT JUST FOR A LITTLE BIT. YEAH. YOU KNOW, TAMARA, WE WERE SWEATING IT OUT. NOT SURE. YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS JUST GOING TO HAVE EVERYONE GETTING DRENCHED DURING THE HOME OPENER, AND IT TURNED OUT JUST FINE. YEAH, IT DID. AND IF YOU HAVE A LUCKY TICKET FOR, LET’S SAY, TOMORROW’S GAME, I THINK WE’RE GOING TO NEED THAT TARP DOWN TONIGHT AND LIKELY THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS AS WE EXPECT SOME STEADIER ROUNDS OF RAIN. IF YOU’RE HEADING OUT FOR THE FIRST PITCH TOMORROW, IT WILL BE PARTLY CLOUDY AND COOL. COULD THERE BE A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS? IT’S A POSSIBILITY, BUT I THINK THAT MOST OF THE GAME WILL START TO CLEAR OUT PRETTY QUICKLY AND COOL OFF TO THE UPPER 40S RIGHT AROUND THE END OF GAME TIME, AND THINGS WILL BE QUITE DRY. THINGS ARE PRETTY DRY RIGHT NOW IN MOST OF THE VALLEY. BEEN WATCHING THE MOST IMPRESSIVE AREAS ON RADAR IN THE MOUNTAINS, AND WE’VE BEEN SEEING OCCASIONAL ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN PERIODS OF SNOW SHOWERS ROUGHLY ABOVE 4000FT TONIGHT. BUT THOSE SNOW LEVELS WILL KIND OF WORK DOWN THE HILL OVERNIGHT AND INTO EARLY TOMORROW MORNING, WHERE WE COULD SEE SNOW LEVELS AS LOW AS AROUND 3000FT, AND MORE OF THE SHOWER. ACTIVITY IS GOING TO PICK UP TO SOME HEAVIER, STEADIER SNOW ABOVE 6500FT DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY. I’M EXPECTING THROUGH THE DAY ON TUESDAY. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2FT OF SNOW. POSSIBLE. AREAS LIKE DONNER SUMMIT. WE COULD SEE ANOTHER FOOT OR MORE AROUND SOUTH LAKE TAHOE. EBBETTS PASS, SONORA PASS IN THAT TWO FOOT REGION AS WELL, AND EVEN AREAS LIKE POLLOCK PINE SIX INCHES PLUS A POSSIBILITY. ALSO WANT TO DRAW YOUR EYE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE DAYTIME TOMORROW. YOU SEE THIS AREA HERE OF GREEN THAT PUTS THESE LOCATIONS LIKE SACRAMENTO, STOCKTON AND MODESTO IN THE MARGINAL RISK CATEGORY FROM THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER. I THINK THE BEST WINDOW FOR THESE THUNDERSTORMS TO ERUPT WOULD BE BETWEEN ABOUT NOON AND 5 P.M. HEAVY DOWNPOURS, POSSIBLE LIGHTNING AND HAIL ALSO POTENTIAL. AND I THINK WE’RE GOING TO SEE A BETTER POTENTIAL TOMORROW FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP AS THIS NEXT WAVE MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. THIS IS TUESDAY AT 830, SO THAT’S WHEN YOU TAKE THE KIDS TO SCHOOL. GET YOURSELF TO THE OFFICE, PLAN FOR WET ROAD CONDITIONS ON THE ROADS HERE ACROSS THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY, AS WELL AS ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS. NOW, BY 3:00 IN THE AFTERNOON, WE’RE STILL LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME OF THOSE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS, SOME HEAVIER DOWNPOURS POSSIBLE. STILL SNOW COMING DOWN IN THE MOUNTAINS, ROUGHLY ABOVE 3000FT. AND THEN BY 9:00 BY TUESDAY, WE’LL START TO SEE AGAIN THESE SNOW SHOWERS BREAK UP A BIT MORE. THE VALLEY IS GOING TO START TO SEE THE CLEARING, AND BY WEDNESDAY IT DOES LOOK LIKE WE WILL SEE MORE SUNSHINE AND EXPECT TO HAVE SOME DRIER CONDITIONS. EXTENDED FORECAST. TEMPERATURES WILL START TO WARM BACK UP. WE’RE LOOKING AT A COOL DAY TOMORROW. IN FACT COOLER THAN TODAY WITH THE IMPACT WEATHER LINGERING THROUGH SUNSET. AND THEN BY WEDNESDAY, GUYS, WE ARE LOOKING AT DRIER CONDITIONS WITH MID TO UPPER 60S THROUGH THE END
Northern California forecast: Rain, thunderstorms and Sierra snow pick up Tuesday
Updated: 11:43 PM PDT Mar 31, 2025
Stormy weather is expected in Northern California as Sierra snow, breezy winds and a few thunderstorms are possible on Monday and Tuesday.The KCRA 3 weather team is issuing an Impact Day because of how rain and snow could affect travel and outdoor activities. Breezy conditions are expected to continue but will be weaker than Sunday’s gusts.This Monday is also the first-ever Major League Baseball game in the Sacramento area as the Athletics will take on the Chicago Cubs. By 5 p.m., during pregame hours, winds and showers are likely to continue but should clear out by the start of the game at 7 p.m. Isolated showers during the game may still be possible, however. At 9 p.m. during the seventh-inning stretch, conditions are likely to clear. Related A’s coverage belowWhat to know ahead of the first home game in West SacramentoWhat you can and can’t bring inside Sutter Health ParkLocal business, traffic and security: West Sacramento leaders say city is ready for the A’s’ impactHow the A’s’ Sutter Health Park stacks up against some of MLB’s most unique stadiumsRain will return in the early morning hours of Tuesday. It is expected to continue on and off throughout the day.Two-day rainfall totals in the Valley will likely stay under 0.75 inches, while the Foothills could see up to 2 inches of rain.Snow levels on Monday will be around the 5,000-foot elevation and are expected to drop as low as 3,000 feet on Tuesday. Projected snowfall totals could reach up to 4 feet of new snow by Tuesday evening in the Sierra passes. Chain controls are likely to stay in effect through early Wednesday morning.When chain controls are in effect, the speed limit on Interstate 80 is reduced to 30 mph. On Highway 50, that reduced speed limit is 25 mph.A few lingering snow showers are possible in the Sierra on Wednesday and Thursday, but the Valley and Foothills are forecast to stay dry on those days.Sunshine and mild temperatures return for the weekend.A look at Sierra snow totals so far.Sierra ski resorts received several inches of snow on Sunday. As of 6 a.m. on Monday, Bear Valley had 7 inches, Dodge Ridge 4 inches, Sugar Bowl 10 inches, Northstar 7 inches and Sierra-at-Tahoe 4 inches.See below for 48-hour Northern California rain totals so far. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Stormy weather is expected in Northern California as Sierra snow, breezy winds and a few thunderstorms are possible on Monday and Tuesday.
The KCRA 3 weather team is issuing an Impact Day because of how rain and snow could affect travel and outdoor activities. Breezy conditions are expected to continue but will be weaker than Sunday’s gusts.
This Monday is also the first-ever Major League Baseball game in the Sacramento area as the Athletics will take on the Chicago Cubs. By 5 p.m., during pregame hours, winds and showers are likely to continue but should clear out by the start of the game at 7 p.m.
Isolated showers during the game may still be possible, however. At 9 p.m. during the seventh-inning stretch, conditions are likely to clear.
Related A’s coverage below
Rain will return in the early morning hours of Tuesday. It is expected to continue on and off throughout the day.
Two-day rainfall totals in the Valley will likely stay under 0.75 inches, while the Foothills could see up to 2 inches of rain.
Snow levels on Monday will be around the 5,000-foot elevation and are expected to drop as low as 3,000 feet on Tuesday. Projected snowfall totals could reach up to 4 feet of new snow by Tuesday evening in the Sierra passes. Chain controls are likely to stay in effect through early Wednesday morning.
When chain controls are in effect, the speed limit on Interstate 80 is reduced to 30 mph. On Highway 50, that reduced speed limit is 25 mph.
A few lingering snow showers are possible in the Sierra on Wednesday and Thursday, but the Valley and Foothills are forecast to stay dry on those days.
Sunshine and mild temperatures return for the weekend.
A look at Sierra snow totals so far.
Sierra ski resorts received several inches of snow on Sunday. As of 6 a.m. on Monday, Bear Valley had 7 inches, Dodge Ridge 4 inches, Sugar Bowl 10 inches, Northstar 7 inches and Sierra-at-Tahoe 4 inches.
See below for 48-hour Northern California rain totals so far.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
