“That next system really could help put us back on track, at least for our snowpack and water reservoir levels,” said Jeffrey Wood, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office.
Forecasters suggest this weekend’s storm could bring multiple feet of snow to the Sierra Nevada, but it’s too early to tell. The storm could linger into next week, with a potential third storm arriving later next week.
“It does look like the storm track from the Pacific is finally opening up to bring snow back to the Sierra,” said Mark Deutschendorf, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Reno office. “Winter is finally coming back.”
Deutschendorf recommends mountain travelers avoid the snowiest windows and pay close attention to road controls; they might miss out on skiing and instead be “stuck on the highway waiting for plows to come.”
Across the Bay Area, Flynn said the second storm will be a “little more tame,” but sustained rain, with about the same amount as Tuesday’s storm, could last Saturday through Tuesday or longer.
“We don’t see any of the strong wind or big thunderstorm threat with the next system,” Flynn said. “It’s more well-behaved.”
