Severe Thunderstorm Warning 5, NWS Sacramento, CA

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
310 PM PST SUN MAR 17 2002

SHOWERS ARE DISIPATING OVER THE NORTH AS SUBSIDENCE BEGINS TO MOVE
INTO THE NORTH. THE WEST SLOPE OF THE SIERRA AND MOTHERLODE WILL
CONTINUE TO HAVE THE MOST ACTIVITY THIS EVENING...BEFORE TAPERING OFF
OVERNIGHT. SOME ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE POP UP IN THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN SAC VLY THIS AFTERNOON. 2 INCHES OF SNOW REPORTED TODAY JUST
WEST OF SONORA...1 INCH IN ALTA AND 4 INCHES AT PACIFIC HOUSE. DUE TO
ONGOING SHOWERS AND CONVECTION JUST STARTING TO DEVELOP...I WILL KEEP
THE SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM FOR THE WEST SLOPES. BETWEEN 6
AND 8 PM SNOWFALL RATES WILL TAPER WITH ONLY A COUPLE INCHES POSSIBLE
OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS THIS EVENING.

COLD NIGHT TONIGHT WITH THE CLOUDS CLEARING AND TEMPERATURES DROPPING
INTO THE 30S. NORTH WINDS AT THIS TIME LOOKS LIKE IT SHOULD PREVENT
WIDESPREAD FROST...BUT SOME WIND SHELTERED SPOTS WILL LIKELY DROP TO
AROUND THE FREEZING MARK.

NORTHERLY FLOW AND CLEAR SKIES WILL HELP TO START THE WARMING TREND
ON MONDAY...CONTINUING INTO WEDNESDAY AS RIDGING DEVELOPS OVER THE
REGION. TEMPERATURES BY MID WEEK SHOULD BE AROUND 70. A WEAK WAVE
MOVING THROUGH THE FAR NORTH MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY LOOKS EVEN
WEAKER TODAY...SO HAVE TRIMMED BACK ON THE POPS AND LOCATIONS
FURTHER. KEEPING SLIGHT CHANCES ACROSS THE FAR NORTH DURING THAT TIME
PERIOD. THE NEXT CHANCES OF RAIN WILL OCCUR FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AS
A CLOSED UPPER LOW MOVES INTO NORTHERN CAL.

.STO...SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM FOR THE WEST SLOPES OF THE NORTHERN
        SIERRA NEVADA...

BLU BE 021/038 031/048 036 75800
RBL UB 034/059 040/060 039 75000
SAC UU 034/060 039/065 040 75200

CAZ016>019-172300-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA
1030 AM PST SUN MAR 17 2002

...THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY THIS
AFTERNOON...

A COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM BRUSHING ACROSS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS
AFTERNOON WILL SET THE STAGE FOR POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT
ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY. THE BEST CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE ACROSS THE CENTRAL SACRAMENTO
VALLEY...SOUTHWARD TO THE NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. THIS INCLUDES
THE MARYSVILLE/YUBA CITY AREA...THE SACRAMENTO METRO AREA...AND THE
STOCKTON AND MODESTO REGION.

THE MAIN RISK FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO BE OCCASIONAL
LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...AND SMALL HAIL. STORMS WILL HAVE THE
POTENTIAL TO DUMP A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMALL HAIL IN A SHORT PERIOD...
CREATING HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION...ISOLATED FUNNEL
CLOUDS OR BRIEF WEAK TORNADOS CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

RESIDENTS ARE ADVISED TO KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY THIS AFTERNOON...AND
BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
RAPIDLY CLEARING SKIES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING.

ROWE