If You’re Traveling For The Holiday

THE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE OVER THE INTERIOR OF
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LEADING UP TO AND INCLUDING THE CHRISTMAS DAY
HOLIDAY.

ONE STORM SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP AND STRENGTHEN OFF THE
CALIFORNIA COAST ON WEDNESDAY…AND THEN MOVE INTO SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. THIS IS A MUCH MORE OFFSHORE AND SOUTHERLY TRACK THAN
PREVIOUS STORM SYSTEMS. THIS TRACK WILL MEAN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
WILL BE ON THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE FIRST STORM SYSTEM…
LIMITING PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS. PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ARE
FORECAST TO RANGE FROM A ONE TO TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH IN THE
VALLEY…AND UP TO A HALF OF AN INCH IN THE MOUNTAINS. RELATIVELY
MILD AIR WITH THIS FIRST SYSTEM WILL RESULT IN SNOW LEVELS
GENERALLY AT OR ABOVE THE 4000 TO 5000 FOOT LEVEL.

A SECOND…COLDER STORM SYSTEM FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA IS FORECAST
TO RAPIDLY DROP SOUTHWARD INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LATE WEDNESDAY
NIGHT AND ON CHRISTMAS DAY. THIS STORM SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
LOWER SNOW LEVELS TO THE 1000 TO 1500 FOOT LEVEL. HOWEVER…THE
MOISTURE AVAILABILITY WITH THIS SECOND SYSTEM IS VERY UNCERTAIN AT
THIS TIME…ALTHOUGH THE COLDER AIR WILL RESULT IN MORE FLUFFY OR
POWDERY SNOW THAN THE FIRST SYSTEM. RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN THE VALLEY
ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE UP TO ONE-QUARTER OF AN INCH.

THE STORM TRACK…AND MOISTURE AVAILABILITY WITH THE TWO STORM
SYSTEMS ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY ARE RESULTING IN LOW
CONFIDENCE IN WINTER STORM WATCHES FOR THE MOUNTAINS AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES MAY BE WARRANTED FOR THE
MOUNTAINS.

PERSONS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SHOULD LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS
AND STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE HOLIDAY WEATHER. REGARDLESS…TRAVELERS
IN THE MOUNTAINS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS.