Do we underestimate and downplay how Great Sacramento weather really is? (San Diego: earthquake, Chinese)

[shelato]

Originally Posted by tstieber

High snowfall levels are not generally good, as they can really deplete the snowpack we hope for in the spring. At the very least, we could hope that some of this current rainfall runoff does make it into the reservoirs that are low, so maybe it's not all bad, but not having a snowpack at lower elevations in spring is one of the those situations that's not the best.

The big reason Sacramento structurally has such a high flood risk is both because these atmospheric rivers bring in a lot of rain in a short period of time but also because they can bring in warm damp air masses that also tend to melt a lot of the exiting snow pack all at once. Because of the drought, the reservoirs right now have plenty space for any rain that might fall from this set of storms. I think the big risk from this storm is more localized flooding in creeks and maybe some risk of mud slides in the burn scars in the areas that had fires in the past couple of years.

[mixxalot]

True well the drought is OVER! I wish idiots would quit waxxing on drought when we will get MASSIVE amounts of RAIN!

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

The calm and cold before the Pineapple Express:

Sacramento: 40F
South Lake Tahoe: 28F

We should see those temps about 10-20 degrees Warmer for the next several days during the Pineapple Express.

Snow line is supposed to be as high as 9,000 feet, so no snow at lake level in Tahoe, only rain.

It's gonna be interesting, hopefully not too much flooding.

Current estimates:
6-9 inches of rain in the Sierra Foothills and higher elevations.
4-5 inches in the Sacramento Area

Finan (Sacramento News Meteorologist) decreased the amount of rain Sacramento will receive by 1-2 inches for Friday and Saturday.

[Chimérique]

Update on Rain, Dec 30, 2022

Rain in inches to date for Season 2022/23:

Blue Canyon/Northern Sierra: 26.07 -- Northern Sierra got near 5 inches of Rain in 24 hrs.

Eureka: 13.97

Sacramento State (CSUS): 8.03

SFO: 7.30

Santa Barbara: 4.99 (usually the wettest place in all of SoCal)

San Jose Int'l: 4.59

Fresno: 4.81

LAX: 3.80

San Diego Int'l: 2.71

Las Vegas Int'l: 0.20

[Chimérique]

More Rain Total Updates:

For the Sierra Foothills just East of Sacramento:

In Inches last 24 hrs:

Middle Fork American River:
Town of Georgetown: 4.03

South Fork American River:
City of Placerville: 3.27

North Fork American River:
City of Auburn: 2.88

Expect the American River as it flows through Sacramento to rise 5 feet by Saturday.

Let's remind Coastal and Southern California, the Sierra Foothill Reservoirs and Dams were primarily built for FLOOD PROTECTION, not to destroy the environment by sending water thousands of miles to them where it does not naturally flow.

If they want more water, use the resources near them, like the ocean, build more desalination plants.

[Chimérique]

West of Sacramento in the Coastal Mountains and Hills:

Rain last 48hrs in Inches:

Sugarloaf (The mountain ridge that separates the Sonoma Valley from Napa Valley): 2.36

Mt. Tamalpais (Marin Cnty): 4.02
Mill Valley (Marin Cnty): 2.12

Mt. Diablo: (Rises above the Sacramento Delta): 1.80

Berkeley Hills: 1.55

Felton (Santa Cruz Mts): 2.84

[Valley Boy]

How is the snow pack.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by Valley Boy

How is the snow pack.

Lake Tahoe Area Ski Resorts: Base only - NOT including new snow

Donner Pass: Closest to Sacramento off of I-80 - Boreal Ski Resort: 80"
Diamond Peak: 45"
Heavenly: 77"
Homewood: 72"
Kirkwood: 60"
Mt. Rose: 84"
Northstar: 67"
Palisades: 20"
Echo Summit: Closest to Sacramento off US Highway 50: Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort: 93"
Sugar Bowl: 81"
Tahoe Donner: 50"

Y'all didn't know there were so many resorts did ya........I've skied everyone of them :-)


Currently:
US Highway 50 closed at Echo Summit for Avalanche Control
Interstate 80 closed at Colfax snow not cleared yet..white-out conditions

[mixxalot]

I’m calling end to drought.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by mixxalot

I’m calling end to drought.

I know right.......but, but, most reservoirs are less than 50% full.