NOWCAST KCRA 3 News at 11pm
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Northern California Christmas forecast: Foggy start then mild temps Sunday; Next week brings rain, gusty winds

A series of systems will impact Northern California starting late Monday night.
Heather Waldman
Meteorologist/Climate Reporter
Tamara Berg
Meteorologist
Northern California Christmas forecast: Foggy start then mild temps Sunday; Next week brings rain, gusty winds

A series of systems will impact Northern California starting late Monday night.

NIGHT WAS PERFECT FOR RUDOLPH. ERIN: HE HAS A HEADLIGHT. [LAUGHTER] HEATHER: AND ANOTHER VIEW FOR YOU, THIS IS FAIRFIELD. NORMALLY, WE CAN SEE 80 AND THE DISTANCE. YOU CAN BARELY MAKE OUT A COUPLE OF HEADLIGHTS. HIS ABILITY HERE IS DOWN TO -- VISIBILITY HERE IS DOWN TO LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE. TAKE IT SLOW AND DO NOT FORGET THE HEADLIGHTS. EVEN THOUGH IT IS DAYLIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS HELP THE OTHER CARS SEE YOU. LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON, WE START TO SEE SUNSHINE THAT WILL BRING TEMPERATURES UP. A BROAD VIEW OF VISIBILITY’S. THROUGH THE VALLEY, A QUARTER MILE OR LESS. MUCH IMPROVED THROUGH THE FOOTHILLS. THERE MAY BE AREAS IN THE HIGH SIERRA WHERE WE GET FREEZING FOG, ESPECIALLY WHERE THE SNOWPACK IS AT ITS DEEPEST. SATELLITE PICTURE IS QUIET, NOT PICKING UP ON LOW CLOUD COVER BECAUSE THE TEMPERATURE OF THOSE CLOUDS ARE CLOSE TO WHAT WE ARE SEEING ON THE GROUND. CLOUDS WILL INCREASE LATER THIS AFTERNOON. TODAY OVERALL, CLEARING, MORE SUNSHINE LATER TODAY. LATE TONIGHT IS WHEN WE START TO SEE CLOUDS WORK IN. MONDAY LOOKS NICE AND QUIET FOR NOW. HIGH THIS AFTERNOON, A COUPLE DEGREES HIGHER THAN YESTERDAY. A NICE DEAL, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT WIND. TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 50’S, LOW 60’S IN THE VALLEY. LOW TO MID-50’S IN THE SIERRA. TODAY IS A SKI OR SNOWBOARD DAY FOR YOU. WATCH FOR FOG ALONG SOME PEAKS WITH WARM AIR OVER THAT CHILLY SNOWPACK. EACH ARE CAST SHOWING -- FUTURECAST SHOWING THE FOG LIFTING OUT THROUGH THE DAY MONDAY. MIX OF CLOUDS AND SUN THROUGHOUT THE DAY. EIGHT :00 P.M. MONDAY, OUR NEXT STORM SYSTEM COMING THROUGH. IT LOOKS LIKE THE BULK OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN AND STRONGEST WINDS COME LATE TODAY NIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MONEY -- MORNING. A HEADS-UP IF YOU ARE TRAVELING TUESDAY, THIS IS 2:30 A.M., LATE OVERNIGHT. THERE WILL BE FLOODING ON SOME STREETS, ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS. THERE MAY BE PONDING WITH LEAVES, MAKE SURE YOUR GUTTERS ARE CLEAR. WE’VE GOT THE WIND TO DEAL WITH. AS FAR AS THE SNOW GOES, SNOW LEVELS WILL BE STARTING TUESDAY MORNING ABOVE PAST LEVEL. THAT WILL BE COMING DOWN TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. IF YOU ARE TRAVELING ANYWHERE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TUESDAY, WE ARE EXPECTING THINGS TO BE TRICKY. WE ARE CONSIDERING THIS AND IMPACT DAY FOR WIDESPREAD RAIN, ONE TO TWO INCHES IN THE VALLEY AND GUSTY WINDS FOR EVERYBODY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE VALLEY. YES, THERE WILL BE ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL IN THE MOUNTAINS. THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN IRON OUT THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. WE ARE EXPECTING GOOD ACCUMULATIONS TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY ONCE THE SNOW LEVEL STARTS TO DROP. IT IS QUIET FOR CHRISTMAS. FOR CHRISTMAS. FOR ANYBODY DOING TRAVELING BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND NE
Advertisement
Northern California Christmas forecast: Foggy start then mild temps Sunday; Next week brings rain, gusty winds

A series of systems will impact Northern California starting late Monday night.
Heather Waldman
Meteorologist/Climate Reporter
Tamara Berg
Meteorologist
Christmas Day in Northern California will bring pleasant weather conditions once the Valley and Delta fog lifts later in the morning. Our next storm system will arrive late Monday night with heavy rain and wind.Here's what to know about the rest of the holiday weekend for the Sacramento area and the Sierra and how to check real-time traffic conditions.Dense fog will linger from the Delta into the Valley and areas of the Motherlode, leading to visibility less than a quarter mile in a lot of spots. Long stretches of I-5, I-80 and Highway 99 will be impacted by the fog.The sun will come out late Sunday morning into the early afternoon and temperatures in the Valley will be mild, in the mid to upper 50s.Expect Northern California rain and snow next weekA wet and at times windy weather pattern will pick up in the coming week. A series of systems will impact Northern California starting late Monday night.Each system will be unique and bring different impacts across the region.Plan for the first round of rain late Monday night into Tuesday morning. This rain will impact anyone traveling overnight and into Tuesday morning. Wind will also be strong and potentially damaging from the Valley into the Sierra. Due to expected travel hazards and the potential for some stream and urban flooding, the KCRA 3 weather team is calling Tuesday an Impact Day.Rainfall totals in the Valley will range from 1 inch to 2 inches between Monday night and Tuesday evening. The heaviest rain will likely come Tuesday morning. Sustained winds between 25 and 35 mph are expected, along with some higher gusts. Gusts may reach 60 mph in the high Sierra.This will be a warm system from Tuesday into Wednesday meaning snow levels will be high and around 7,000 feet at the start. The snow level will likely drop below the passes later Tuesday into Wednesday. Travelers should plan for possible chain controls Tuesday night and possibly Wednesday.More waves of rain and snow are in the forecast throughout the week. Each system will be timed out as we sort out the details for each one.Download our app for the latestHere is where you can download our app for the latest weather alerts.Follow our KCRA weather team on social mediaChief Meteorologist Mark Finan on Facebook and TwitterMeteorologist Tamara Berg on Facebook and TwitterMeteorologist Eileen Javora on FacebookMeteorologist Dirk Verdoorn on FacebookMeteorologist/Climate Reporter Heather Waldman on Facebook and TwitterWatch our forecasts on TV or onlineHere's where to find our latest video forecast. You can also watch a livestream of our latest newscast here. The banner on our website turns red when we're live.We're also streaming on the Very Local app for Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV.Track Northern California Doppler radar here(App users, click here to see our interactive radar map.)Traveling this weekend? Track real-time traffic updates here(App users, click here to see our interactive traffic map.)

Christmas Day in Northern California will bring pleasant weather conditions once the Valley and Delta fog lifts later in the morning. Our next storm system will arrive late Monday night with heavy rain and wind.

Here's what to know about the rest of the holiday weekend for the Sacramento area and the Sierra and how to check real-time traffic conditions.

Advertisement

Dense fog will linger from the Delta into the Valley and areas of the Motherlode, leading to visibility less than a quarter mile in a lot of spots. Long stretches of I-5, I-80 and Highway 99 will be impacted by the fog.

The sun will come out late Sunday morning into the early afternoon and temperatures in the Valley will be mild, in the mid to upper 50s.

Slideshow
5 photos

Expect Northern California rain and snow next week

A wet and at times windy weather pattern will pick up in the coming week. A series of systems will impact Northern California starting late Monday night.

Each system will be unique and bring different impacts across the region.

Plan for the first round of rain late Monday night into Tuesday morning. This rain will impact anyone traveling overnight and into Tuesday morning. Wind will also be strong and potentially damaging from the Valley into the Sierra. Due to expected travel hazards and the potential for some stream and urban flooding, the KCRA 3 weather team is calling Tuesday an Impact Day.

Rainfall totals in the Valley will range from 1 inch to 2 inches between Monday night and Tuesday evening. The heaviest rain will likely come Tuesday morning. Sustained winds between 25 and 35 mph are expected, along with some higher gusts. Gusts may reach 60 mph in the high Sierra.

This will be a warm system from Tuesday into Wednesday meaning snow levels will be high and around 7,000 feet at the start. The snow level will likely drop below the passes later Tuesday into Wednesday. Travelers should plan for possible chain controls Tuesday night and possibly Wednesday.

More waves of rain and snow are in the forecast throughout the week. Each system will be timed out as we sort out the details for each one.

Download our app for the latest

Here is where you can download our app for the latest weather alerts.

Follow our KCRA weather team on social media

Watch our forecasts on TV or online

Here's where to find our latest video forecast. You can also watch a livestream of our latest newscast here. The banner on our website turns red when we're live.

We're also streaming on the Very Local app for Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV.

Track Northern California Doppler radar here

(App users, click here to see our interactive radar map.)

Traveling this weekend? Track real-time traffic updates here

(App users, click here to see our interactive traffic map.)

Top Picks

Why Santa Claus wears a red and white suit
An improvised line in 'Elf' almost got cut, and now it's gone viral
Festivus, the ‘Seinfeld’ holiday focused on airing grievances, is for everyone
What's open and closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2024?