Will it rain in Sacramento on New Year’s Eve? Snow in Tahoe? Here’s the forecast
More rain is headed to Sacramento ahead of New Year’s Eve, according the National Weather Service.
“Widespread precipitation” is predicted to spread throughout the Sacramento area Friday through Saturday, the weather service said Friday morning in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The National Weather Service station in Sacramento urged drivers to refrain from hitting the roads late Friday afternoon and Saturday morning when the latest storm system is predicted to unleash its worst on Northern California.
“We do have some concerns just for people traveling over the holiday weekend,” Sacramento Weather Service meteorologist Eric Kurth said.
He recommends leaving as early as possible on Friday to avoid the storm, and refrain from traveling Saturday morning.
Widespread precipitation will spread across the region today through Saturday, with the heaviest expected tonight. Be prepared for slick roads and a longer than normal commute. Slow down on wet roads! #cawx pic.twitter.com/D1dMkMu6ra
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) December 29, 2023
How much rain has fallen in Sacramento so far?
The week’s first storm system, which began Dec. 20 and ended Thursday, brought 0.35 inches of rain to Sacramento International Airport, according to the weather service.
Folsom saw 0.37 inches and Arden Arcade experienced about 0.43 inches, the weather service said.
Sacramento has received a total of 3.10 inches of rain so far in December, the National Weather Service reported Friday. That’s not far from the December average of 3.49 inches of rain.
What’s the weather forecast for New Year’s Eve? New Year’s Day?
Friday evening’s storm is predicted to drop about an inch of rain in the Sacramento area, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Robert Baruffaldi.
There is a 20% chance of showers after 10 a.m. Sunday, New Year’s Eve, according to the weather service’s five-day forecast.
Monday, New Year’s Day, will be mostly sunny, the agency said.
High temperatures in the Sacramento area will hover in the mid to high 60s on Friday before dropping to 60 degrees on Saturday, Kurth said.
New Year’s Eve will also see temperatures reach the mid to high 60s, he said.
On New Year’s Day, temperatures will slightly dip, with highs reaching 57 degrees.
Low temperatures will stay in the upper 40s on Friday and Saturday and the low 40s on Sunday and Monday.
A “fast-moving system” will sweep through the Sacramento area Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the weather service.
It’s unclear how much rain will fall on those days or in which areas, the Weather Service said.
The New Year is likely going to see some wet conditions right off the bat. We're expecting a fast moving system to move over interior NorCal on January 2nd to 4th. A lot is still uncertain with this system, so stay tuned for updates! #CAwx pic.twitter.com/MYtpfbi4pV
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) December 28, 2023
Will Tahoe get snow this holiday weekend?
From Friday evening through Saturday, fresh powder will coat mountains at about 6,000 feet elevation, with lighter snow even possibly touching 5,500 to 5,000 feet, Kurth said.
The higher elevations of Sierra mountains, south of Highway 50, and the Lassen Peak area could see about two feet of snow. In lower elevations, there’s expected to be eight to 12 inches of snow, Kurth said.
He expects snowfall to pick up Friday night and keep pounding roads into early Saturday.
By Saturday evening, the winter weather will ease, he said. The station issued a winter advisory for areas 6,000 feet to 10,000 feet from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday in which 40-mph winds will buffet the area.
The valley floor is expected to see 20 to 25 mph winds, the Sacramento Weather Service said.
“We’re expecting some breezy southerly winds on Friday evening with minimal impacts,” the Sacramento Weather Service on X. “While you won’t get blown away, your decorations might!”
How much snow has fallen at mountain ski resorts?
Recent storms that swept across California and the Central Valley failed to drop much snow at ski resorts around Lake Tahoe, The Sacramento Bee reported, continuing a December trend.
As of Friday morning, 53 stations in the Central Sierra had reported 30% of the average snowfall for that date, according to the California Department of Water Resources.
Here’s how much snow has fallen at ski and snowboarding resorts in Tahoe so far this season, as of Friday morning, according to their websites:
Sugar Bowl Ski Resort: 36 to 54 inches of snow
Kirkwood Mountain Resort: 50 inches of snow
Heavenly Mountain Resort: 23 inches of snow
Palisades Tahoe: 39 inches of snow
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe: 42 to 59 inches of snow
Northstar California Resort: 39 inches of snow
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