A series of storms will drop light rain on Central California beginning Wednesday and then ramp up with heavier precipitation on Sunday, the National Weather Service in Hanford says.

The initial rain is expected north of Fresno County, but the later storm could deliver up to 1 inch across the Valley floor. Rainfall could total as much as 3 inches in the foothills. And, higher elevations could see 5 inches or more, the weather service said Tuesday.

The snow level elevation in the Sierra is expected to be at about 9,000 feet. Snow totals of up to 2 or 3 feet are anticipated.

A strong storm system will impact Central California Sunday through Monday. The heaviest precip will fall Sunday night and Monday morning. 2 to 3 feet of snow is possible in the Sierra Nevada above 9,000 feet. Moderate to heavy rain is conceivable in the San Joaquin Valley. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/e0jQUmy1I4

— NWS Hanford (@NWSHanford) October 19, 2021

‘Wild Ride’ Storm Hits Northern California

A storm now dropping rain and snow in Northern California is expected to end the wildfire season in that part of the state.

The week’s first storm moved through Sunday night, bringing enough snow to shut down highways over the Sierra’s higher passes and require chains for vehicles on Interstate 80. The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab at Donner Pass reported 10.3 inches of snow by 8 a.m. Monday.

“That was a pretty wild ride for the first real storm of the year,” the California Highway Patrol’s Truckee office tweeted.

Light rain was expected to continue Wednesday in Northern California, followed by “progressively wetter systems” Thursday and Friday, and then more precipitation over the weekend and into next week, the Sacramento weather office said.

(Associated Press contributed to this article.)