Special Weather Statement

Um, you know what I said in yesterday's post? Just forget about it. The weather picture has changed. Here are more details from the National Weather Service:

A SERIES OF STORM SYSTEMS WILL MOVE THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
BEGINNING THIS MORNING AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND
INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE FIRST SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA THIS MORNING IS FAIRLY WEAK AND HAS ONLY BROUGHT CLOUDS
AND VERY LIGHT SHOWERS TO INTERIOR OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. EVEN
THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA IS ONLY EXPECTED TO PICK UP LIGHT RAIN
OR HIGH ELEVATION SNOW TODAY. A SECOND AND SLIGHTLY STRONGER
WEATHER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
SATURDAY MORNING WITH A THIRD AND MUCH MORE POWERFUL SYSTEM MOVING
THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS THROUGH
SATURDAY SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY LIGHT WITH THE WEAKER SYSTEMS BUT
RAINFALL WILL INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AS
THE MUCH WETTER SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH. PRECIPITATION TOTALS FROM
SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING MAY REACH AROUND 1.5 INCHES
IN THE NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY TO AROUND 3 QUARTERS OF AN INCH
OVER THE NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. PRECIPITATION DURING THIS
TIME PERIOD OVER THE MOUNTAINS COULD RANGE FROM TWO TO THREE
INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. SNOW LEVELS WILL BE
AROUND 7000 FEET IN THE NORTH TO 8000 FEET IN THE SOUTH ON
SATURDAY AND INCREASE TO AROUND 8000 TO 9000 FEET ON SUNDAY.
TRAVEL IS EXPECTED TO ONLY BE MINIMALLY IMPACTED WITH THE SNOW
LEVELS EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE THE PASS LEVELS DURING THE
HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION. GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVER OVER THE
MOUNTAINS HOWEVER WITH WIND SPEEDS ON SUNDAY GUSTING TO OVER 50
MPH AT PASS LEVELS.

TEMPERATURES WILL BE AROUND 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL OVER THE
WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 60S IN THE VALLEY AND IN THE
LOWER 40S TO LOWER 50S IN MOST LOCATIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS.

So, we may need to batten down the hatches a little bit. If you're planning a trip to the coast this weekend, the winds are expected to be very strong. You may want to reconsider your plans. Maybe this will be a good weekend to stay inside and watch scary movies!