CHICO — A fast-moving storm will pass through the Sacramento Valley just long enough to drop the better part of an inch of rain today, according to the forecast from the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office.
That storm is expected to serve as an appetizer for a wetter and colder system that will arrive in the area Friday and remain until Saturday.
Today’s system is forecast to begin dropping some significant rainfall on the north coast by about 4 a.m., mostly on the sparsely populated areas of northern Sonoma County, southern Mendocino County, as well as the northern tip of Mendocino County and the southern portion of Humboldt County.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service said they expect half an inch to an inch in Eureka and between an inch and an inch and a half in Fort Bragg. However, places such as Shelter Cove and Point Arena may be facing between two and three inches.
The storm should reach the Chico and Oroville areas around noon, soaking them with around three quarters of an inch to an inch of rain until the system heads into the Sierra Nevada range by dinnertime. Snow is not much of a concern for most areas, as the snow level will hover around 6,000 to 7,000 feet.
The bigger worry will be wind, with gusts forecast around 25-30 mph in Chico and Oroville between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. today, consistent with most of the valley north of Sacramento. Eureka, Fort Bragg and Point Arena are in line for a real pounding, however, with gusts around 40-45 mph during that time span in addition to the precipitation.
Forecasters expect Chico’s daytime high today to be 57, with an overnight low of 50 leading into Thursday. Oroville’s high will be 60 with an overnight low of 50. Thursday highs will be 59 in Chico and 60 in Oroville.
Friday is expected to bring a stronger punch for Chico and Oroville. That storm is set to drop between an inch and an inch and a half on the lower elevations of Butte County, with snow levels at 5,500 to 6,500 feet — meaning the high-elevation Lassen Volcanic National Park area will almost certainly get a share. There will be a slight chance of rain until 10 a.m. Friday, when approximately an inch will fall during the ensuing 24-hour period.
As with today’s system, this weekend’s storm will be especially wet on the coast, with Shelter Cove, Fort Bragg, Point Arena and Bodega Bay contemplating two to three inches of rain.
Forecasters said they expect Chico’s high Friday to be 59, then 48 overnight; Saturday’s high will be 56 with the overnight low 45.
Oroville can expect a high of 62 Friday, with an overnight low of 50; Saturday will top out at 58 before dropping to 46 overnight into Sunday.
Once that storm system passes, things will be mostly dry, with only a slight chance of showers Sunday.
“Another low pressure area will brush the area late Sunday and Sunday night, but the central part of the low stays off the coast and ends up moving into Southern California,” the NWS forecast summary said. “We may still see some shower activity but it will be mainly over the mountains.”
