... Stormy weather anticipated for next week...
A series of low pressure systems are expected to bring periods of
rain and higher elevation snow to the central California interior
next week. The first system will spread precipitation into the
area by late Sunday and spread rain and mountain snow southward
through the central California interior through Monday. There is
still some uncertainty on how much precipitation will be produced
by this storm as it crosses our area... but it has the potential to
produce moderate to locally heavy precipitation across the
southern Sierra Nevada mountains and adjoining foothills Sunday
night and Monday. Snow levels will be around 6000 feet over
Yosemite park at the onset of the storm Sunday afternoon... but
lower to around 4000 feet by the time the precipitation tapers off
Monday evening. Over Kern County... snow levels will be around 7000
feet Sunday evening lowering to around 5000 feet by Monday
evening. The precipitation is expected to be all in the form of
rain over Interstate 5 through the Grapevine area and along
Highway 58 through the Tehachapi area.
This system will be followed by another Pacific storm system
which is expected to move through our area Tuesday night and
Wednesday followed by a third system Thursday night and Friday.
Although there is quite a bit of uncertainty in how much
precipitation these storms will produce and on how low snow levels
will lower to with these systems. There is the potential that
these systems could disrupt travel across the central California
interior next week. The precipitation could also produce a threat
of urban and small stream flooding in flood prone areas as well as
mud slides and debris flows over and near the recently burned
areas including the Telegraph fire burn area north of Mariposa and
the Piute fire burn area southeast of Lake Isabella.
The National Weather Service encourages you to continue to monitor
the latest forecast... statements and warnings as we approach the
Christmas Holiday travel period.
