Special Weather Statement from National Weather Service

...RAIN AND SNOW RETURN TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TODAY INTO THE
WEEKEND...

COLD MORNING LOWS IN THE NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY WHILE THE FIRST
IN A SERIES OF STORMS MAKES ITS WAY INTO INTERIOR NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA. SOME SNOW POSSIBLE AT LOWER ELEVATIONS WITH GUSTY WINDS
OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS AND PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN FOR
THE LOWEST ELEVATIONS.


SEVERAL SYSTEMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA ALONG WITH A MOISTURE
PLUME BRINGING MODERATE TO HEAVY PRECIPITATION AT TIMES TO
INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LATER WEDNESDAY INTO THE WEEKEND.


CAZ066-067-190100-
NORTHEAST FOOTHILLS/SACRAMENTO VALLEY-MOTHERLODE-
533 AM PST WED JAN 18 2012

TIMING: PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO START OVER THE NORTHEAST
FOOTHILLS OF THE SACRAMENTO LATER THIS MORNING AND INCREASE AND
SPREAD SOUTH INTO THE MOTHER LODE BY LATE TODAY. MODERATE TO
HEAVY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED IN THE FOOTHILLS ON THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY AND POSSIBLY AGAIN ON SUNDAY.

AMOUNTS: AROUND 1 INCH IN THE FAR NORTH TO AROUND A QUARTER OF AN
INCH AROUND THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR TO LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN
INCH SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 88 IS EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING. SNOW
IS POSSIBLE IN THE NORTHEAST FOOTHILLS TODAY WITH UP TO 3 INCHES
OF ACCUMULATIONS ABOVE 2000 FEET AND LITTLE TO NO ACCUMULATIONS
EXPECTED AROUND 1000 FEET IN THE NORTHEAST FOOTHILLS. ADDITIONAL
SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND WITH
MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN ON FRIDAY AND POSSIBLY SUNDAY.

WINDS: SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 40 MPH
ARE EXPECTED TO ACCOMPANY THE PRECIPITATION...WITH THE STRONGEST
WINDS EXPECTED ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND LATE FRIDAY AND SUNDAY.

IMPACTS: WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE NORTHEAST
FOOTHILLS ON WEDNESDAY MORNING. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
POSSIBLE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS IN THE FOOTHILLS. THE WINDS
AND HEAVY RAIN MAY CAUSE DOWNED TREE BRANCHES POSSIBLY CAUSING
POWER OUTAGES.