latest from the National Weather Service

Chico has already received 1.15" of rain the past 24 hours ending at 10 pm this evening. Now some areas, especially higher elevations, may have to deal with strong winds later this week. More from the NWS: PRECIPITATION CONTINUES INTO THURSDAY WITH STRONG WINDS TO FOLLOW THURSDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY OVER INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA... * IMPACTS: WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS LIMITED TO SIERRA PASSES... WIDESPREAD RAIN AND FALLEN LEAVES MAY LEAD TO SLICK ROADS AND CLOGGED DRAINS THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. VERY STRONG AND POSSIBLY DAMAGING WINDS IN THE MOUNTAINS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. * TIMING: PERIODS OF VALLEY RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW TONIGHT BECOMING SHOWERY LATE WEDNESDAY. SHOWERS LINGERING INTO THURSDAY OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA. INCREASING WINDS LATER IN THE WEEK. * RAINFALL AMOUNTS: ONE-HALF INCH TO ONE AND ONE-QUARTER INCH IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY...OVER TWO INCHES OF RAIN IN THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS. * SNOWFALL AMOUNTS THROUGH THURSDAY: SEVERAL INCHES OF WET SNOW POSSIBLE OVER THE SIERRA PASSES. CLOSE TO A FOOT OR SO OF SNOW OVER HIGHER REMOTE ELEVATIONS ABOVE 7000 FEET. * WINDS: GUSTS 50 TO 80 MPH POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS AT TIMES THURSDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. GUSTS TO 40 MPH POSSIBLE WEST SIDE OF THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND EASTERN SOLANO COUNTY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. * SYNOPSIS: SLOW MOVING PACIFIC FRONT CONTINUES RAIN AND SNOW OVER INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT... LINGERING SHOWERS THURSDAY. STRONG WINDS DEVELOP BEHIND THE FRONT LATE THURSDAY INTO SATURDAY.