Special Weather Statement from NOAA

...STORMY WEATHER HEADED FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK... A LARGE WEATHER SYSTEM DROPPING OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL BRING RAIN...WIND AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF MOUNTAIN SNOW TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BEGINNING FRIDAY...AND LASTING THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOULD BEGIN FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. NEARLY CONTINUOUS RAIN AND SNOW IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH MORE PERIODS OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION EXPECTED EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE CENTRAL VALLEY COULD SEE 2 TO 5 INCHES OF RAINFALL FROM FRIDAY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS EXCEEDING 6 INCHES IN THE FOOTHILLS. AT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS...NEW SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF SEVERAL FEET ARE POSSIBLE. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO BE FAIRLY TYPICAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR VARYING BETWEEN 4000 AND 6000 FEET. THIS PUTS SNOW LEVELS BELOW THE MAJOR PASS LEVELS AND TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BECOME A FACTOR AS HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OCCUR. GUSTY WINDS WILL BRING BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES AS WELL. AT THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...LEAF FALL AND CLOGGED STORM DRAINS STILL REMAIN A PROBLEM THIS SEASON AND WILL LIKELY CAUSE LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING DURING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. THE WET PATTERN MAY CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. NORTHERN CALIFORNIANS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF VERY WET WEATHER BEGINNING THIS FRIDAY. IF TRAVELING...ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS...BE SURE AND CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS BEFORE DEPARTURE AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM.