April Showers: Thunderstorms, More Than a Foot of Snow Forecast for NorCal Today

It’s no secret that Northern California is experiencing one of its driest winters on record, so at this moment, we’ll take any form of precipitation. That’s why today’s forecasted downpour, although brief, will be a major help as we move into another drought-plagued summer.

Moving in on Monday morning and finishing in the evening, a storm is expected to bring significant rain throughout the region. The North Coast will see the most, forecast for up to an inch in Eureka. Yosemite and South Lake Tahoe are also expected to see an inch, with the valley seeing around 1/10 inch:

In the mountains, snow levels are expected to drop to to 4000-5000 feet, with significant accumulation in the Sierra. Donner and Echo passes near Tahoe are expected to see up to a foot of snow, while the mountains down near Mammoth and up at Lassen could reach 18 inches. Light snowfall is also expected in Mount Shasta:

The biggest impact the storm will bring is forecasted thunderstorms, which are expected to hit the valley and foothills Monday afternoon. Small hail, lightning, brief heavy rain and gusty winds are the main threats with these thunderstorms. Please stay indoors if lightning is occurring in your region.

As always, travel is expected to be impacted throughout the storm. Mountain travel could be impacted by chain controls, spinouts and even road closures. Be sure to check conditions with CalTrans before heading into high elevation roadways.

While this storm is quick, it’s certainly a welcomed sight for NorCal residents bracing for another summer of drought, which will bring difficult water storage issues and wildfires. The good news? The National Weather Service is expecting another storm later this week, with more rain and snow Wednesday through Friday:

Bring on the April Showers!