Winter weather headed our way - national weather service advisory

...WINTER WEATHER RETURNS TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEK...

MUCH OF THIS WEEK IS FORECAST TO BE MORE WINTER-LIKE THAN WHAT
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS EXPERIENCED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF
MONTHS. BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES...VALLEY RAIN...MOUNTAIN
SNOW...AND OCCASIONALLY STRONG...GUSTY WINDS ARE IN STORE FOR
NORTHERN CALIFORNIANS MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

THE FIRST WEATHER SYSTEM FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL MOVE THROUGH
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TONIGHT AND MONDAY BRINGING LIGHT AMOUNTS OF
RAIN TO THE VALLEY...AND A LIGHT DUSTING OF SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS.
THE COLD AIR FROM THIS WEATHER SYSTEM WILL LOWER SNOW LEVELS TO AS
LOW AS 1000 TO 2000 FEET...BUT ONLY AN INCH OR TWO OF ACCUMULATION
IS EXPECTED OVER MOST OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.


AFTER A BRIEF BREAK ON TUESDAY...A STRONGER AND WETTER WEATHER
SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO BRING PERIODS OF VALLEY RAIN...MOUNTAIN
SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS TO INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ON WEDNESDAY.
SNOW SHOWERS MAY LINGER INTO THURSDAY ESPECIALLY OVER THE SIERRA
NEVADA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN THE VALLEY ARE FORECAST TO RANGE FROM
A THIRD OF AN INCH IN THE NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY TO THREE
QUARTERS OF AN INCH IN THE NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY.

SNOW LEVELS WILL BE A LITTLE HIGHER WITH THE SECOND WEATHER
SYSTEM...RANGING FROM 2000 FEET OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS TO
3000 TO 4000 FEET OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA. SEVERAL INCHES OF
SNOWFALL ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE COASTAL RANGE...WITH ONE TO TWO
FEET OF SNOW OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF SHASTA COUNTY AND HIGHER
ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.

BLUSTERY SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WILL ARE EXPECTED IN THE
VALLEY ON WEDNESDAY...WHILE THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA
COULD SEE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50 TO 60 MPH. THE WINDS COMBINED
WITH SNOWFALL WILL MAKE MOUNTAIN TRAVEL HAZARDOUS LATER THIS WEEK.
A WINTER STORM WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED FOR THE MOUNTAINS.