Hail in California, February 22, 2001

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
300 PM PST THU FEB 22 2001

CLOUDS CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTH IN A MODERATE NORTHERLY FLOW WITH CLEAR
SKIES OVER THE CWA EXCEPT FOR THE NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. EXPECT
CLOUDS TO OVER SPREAD THE CWA DURING THE NIGHT. THE LEADING EDGE OF
THE CIRRUS SHIELD HAS REACHED THE NORCAL COAST WITH THE PRIMARY SHORT
WAVE APPROACHING 140W. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE OVER THE AREA AS
THE TROUGH/SURFACE LOW APPROACH THE NORCAL COAST SATURDAY MORNING.
SHOULD GET BREEZY IN THE VALLEYS AND WINDY AT HIGHER TERRAIN SATURDAY
WITH 8H SOUTHERLY WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS AND 7H WINDS SOUTHWEST 35
KNOTS. GRADIENT RELAXES SATURDAY NIGHT AS TROUGH DIGS SOUTH ALONG THE
COAST AND SURFACE LOW FILLS. SATURDAY/S SYSTEM APPEARS WEAKER THAN
THE PREVIOUS STORM WITH THE UPPER LOW REMAINING OFFSHORE. SOUTHWEST
MID LEVEL FLOW WILL ENHANCE SNOW IN THE SIERRA...HOWEVER EXPECT
HIGHER MOISTURE AND COLDER AIR CLOSER TO THE CENTER OF THE
CIRCULATION AND HAVE ISSUED A SNOW ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN COASTAL
MOUNTAINS...ZONE 63. SNOW LEVELS SATURDAY NIGHT WILL BE LOWERING TO
AROUND 2500 FEET IN THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND COASTAL RANGE AND
SOMEWHAT HIGHER IN THE SIERRA. GREATEST LIFT OCCURS OVER THE CWA
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING THEN SHIFTS SOUTHWARD. WEAK
RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE AREA BEHIND THE LOW ON MONDAY WITH ONLY
MOUNTAINS SHOWERS EXPECTED DURING THE EXTENDED PERIOD. PFJ

.STO...SNOW ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN SHASTA AND NORTHERN LAKE
       COUNTIES FOR SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT.

BLU SE 026/035 027/037 026 077
RBL RE 040/052 044/057 043 076
SAC RE 042/056 045/060 044 066