High Wind in California, March 4, 2001

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
900 AM PST SAT MAR 03 2001

CURRENT ZONES LOOK GOOD...WITH MINOR ADJUSTMENTS MADE SO HEADLINES OF
THE STATEMENTS MATCH THAT IN THE ZONES. CLOSED LOW CENTERED OFF THE
BAY AREA WITH SURFACE LOW PROGGED TO MOVE NORTHWARD THIS AFTERNOON.
AS SURFACE LOW MOVES NORTHWARD WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE
NORTHERN HALF OF THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY. WINDS MAY BECOME CLOSE TO
WIND ADVISORY LEVELS ACROSS THE FAR NORTH END OF THE
VALLEY...PARTICULARLY OVER THE SOUTHERN END OF ZONE 15.

ELSEWHERE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...REALLY
DEPENDS ON IF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY DEVELOPS. SO FAR THE REGION SEEMS
TO BE HANDLING THE STEADY RAINS WELL. THIS AFTERNOON THE ATMOSPHERE
BECOME MORE UNSTABLE AS THE UPPER LOW MOVES CLOSER. GOOD SHEAR OVER
THE SACRAMENTO/NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AS WELL. TRIGGER TEMPS
SEEM TO BE IN THE UPPER 50S NEAR 60 FOR TODAY...WITH MOST
TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 50S RIGHT NOW. FOR THE FAR NORTHERN SAC VLY
TRIGGER TEMPS WILL BE IN THE MID 50S. DRY SLOT WEST OF THE BAY AREA
MAY HELP TO PROVIDE THE MECHANISM NEEDED TO TRIGGER SOME
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AS IF MOVES ONSHORE.

WINTER STORM WARNING LOOKS GOOD WITH MANY REPORTS BETWEEN 3 AND 6
INCHES OF NEW SNOW EARLIER THIS MORNING FROM THE SKI RESORTS.

.STO...WINTER STORM WARNING TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY FOR THE INTERIOR
       COAST RANGE AND THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF SHASTA COUNTY ABOVE
       4000 FEET.
    ...WINTER STORM WARNING TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY FOR THE WEST SLOPES
       OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND WESTERN PLUMAS COUNTY/LASSEN
       PARK AREA.
    ...WIND ADVISORY TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR THE CENTRAL
       SACRAMENTO VALLEY...SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY...NORTHERN SAN
       JOAQUIN VALLEY...THE DELTA...THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN LAKE
       COUNTY...AND THE MOTHERLODE.
    ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE
       NORTHERN AND CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY.