update on next week's storm

Here's the latest Special Weather Statement from the National Weather Service in Sacramento:

A WINTER LIKE PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE ONTO THE NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA COAST MONDAY EVENING THEN SWEEP ACROSS THE REST OF NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. THIS SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL
TO BRING SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL TO THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND
ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL TO THE MOUNTAINS. THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION
WITH THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED LATE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING
AS THE MAIN FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH. SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE BEHIND THIS SYSTEM THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT AND
WEDNESDAY.

SNOW LEVELS WILL BEGIN INITIALLY HIGH AT OVER 7000 FEET THEN DROP TO
AROUND 4000 TO 5000 FEET DURING THE DAY TUESDAY AS THE COLD FRONT
PASSES THROUGH. AS COLDER AIR FILTERS INTO THE AREA...SNOW LEVELS
WILL DROP FURTHER WITH SNOWFALL POSSIBLE DOWN TO THE 3000 FOOT
LEVEL LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. IN ADDITION TO THE RAIN
AND SNOW...STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS SYSTEM. THE
NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY COULD SEE WIND GUSTS ABOVE 30 MPH.
WINDS OVER THE MOUNTAINS COULD GUST UP TO 40 TO 50 MPH. THE
COMBINATION OF WIND AND SNOW COULD BRING WHITE OUT CONDITIONS AT
TIMES.

THOSE WITH OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PLANNED FROM MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER. IF PLANNING
TO TRAVEL IN THE MOUNTAINS MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...BE
SURE TO CARRY TIRE CHAINS AND CHECK THE LATEST ROAD AND WEATHER
REPORTS BEFORE DEPARTURE.

Enjoy this weekend's sunny, warm weather while it lasts. It appears the cool, cloudy, damp weather will linger for most of next week. High temperatures in the upper 70s Saturday and Sunday will cool into the mid 70s Monday, then into the 50s and lower 60s Tuesday through next Friday. Sunny skies will dominate the weather pattern through Monday, but then a potentially wet and windy storm will arrive by Tuesday. Today was simply beautiful, with wall-to-wall sunshine, light southerly breezes, and seasonal temps in the mid 70s. Again, this nice weather will soon be a distant memory, so get outside this weekend!