As Northern California sits on the fulcrum of El Niño, it will not receive as much rain as Southern California, but Garcia agrees it will be a wet season all the same.
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During the months of November and December, northwestern United States was lashed by a series of storms.
“The pattern in the West will remain quite active through the coming week”, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Rinde said. Now, it is the drought affected California’s turn to see some rain. This snowfall will be helpful in filling lakes and reservoirs during the warmer months. Snowfall will be measured in feet across the Sierra Nevada. Blowing snow could cause whiteout conditions.
The first storm moving in late Sunday is expected to bring rain on Monday. This storm will be the weakest across Southern California with only a light rainfall expected. At least two more storms are expected to follow on Wednesday and Thursday.
“We’re expecting 1 to 2 inches of rain along the coast and valleys on Tuesday with possibly 2 to 4 inches in the foothills and mountains”, he said.
The National Weather Service says a series of weather systems will drop snow in the high country and rain in lower elevations as the week progresses.
The storms next in line will be stronger and affect California and its adjoining areas from Tuesday through Friday.
To the south, persistent wet conditions could put some Los Angeles County communities at risk of flash-flooding along with mud and debris flows, especially in wildfire burn areas.
Use AccuWeather Minutecast® to track the rain or snow across your area. San Francisco may receive some rain on Monday afternoon. Flagstaff, Arizona, could have between 1 to 2 feet of snow by the end of the week. Travel may be hindered around the Donner Pass due to heavy snow throughout the week.
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By next weekend into the following week, storms will return to the northwestern U.S.
