The National Weather Service in Hanford is projecting that nearly a third of an inch of rain will fall on Fresno from the storm that began Sunday.
The NWS forecast says that high elevation mountain snow and Valley rain will persist into Tuesday. After that, dry weather is expected from Wednesday through Monday.
A storm system will impact Central California through Tuesday afternoon. Snow levels near 10,000 feet will gradually lower, reaching near 6,500 feet by Tuesday. The majority of this precipitation will fall this Monday. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/NtDZkjA8vG
— NWS Hanford (@NWSHanford) May 18, 2020
The spring storm is bringing scattered rain to northern California and the possibility of flash flooding in valleys and wildfire-scarred areas.
Rain Drenches San Francisco
Up to an inch of rain fell in locations across the San Francisco Bay Area by 5 p.m. Sunday and more showers were expected after midnight, the National Weather Service said.
“It’s not often when May’s rainfall exceeds February’s,” when no rain fell in San Francisco, the weather service tweeted.
Up to 1 Foot of Sierra Snow
The weather service issued a winter storm warning in effect until Tuesday afternoon, saying up to a foot of snow could fall at higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, with winds gusting as high as 60 mph on exposed ridgetops.
Thunderstorms in the forecast for Monday may trigger flash flooding in foothill areas scarred by massive, deadly wildfires in 2018 that nearly wiped out the town of Paradise and scorched swaths of Shasta and Trinity counties.
At 2:30 am…Snow was accumulating on I-80 at Castle Peak and Donner Summit as snow levels dropped below pass levels. Be prepared for moderate to heavy snow showers bringing very slippery conditions through Tuesday. Avoid travel if possible. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/Mw3B7NkXj4
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) May 18, 2020
The much-needed rain will bring a temporary reprieve from the early start of the wildfire season.
(Associated Press contributed to this article.)
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