LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The National Weather Service’s latest forecast for the coming week describes incoming storm systems, one of which has the potential to bring more heavy snow, wind and power outages.
Lake County is under a winter storm warning that goes into effect at 10 p.m. Sunday and will remain active until 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Forecasters said a series of two storm systems will bring widespread precipitation to the North Coast region Sunday through Tuesday night, and heavy snow is expected in the mountains along with some interior valley locations.
Further to the east, the Sierras are under a blizzard warning, from early Monday through early Wednesday.
Back on the North Coast, the National Weather Service said the heaviest snow is expected Monday through Tuesday night, along with potential for isolated thunderstorms with small hail.
The forecast said the first of the two systems was expected to arrive overnight, bringing several inches of snow above the 3,000 foot elevation level in Lake County.
What forecasters call “a much more notable system” will begin to impact the North Coast region on Sunday night as strong southerly winds increase ahead of an advancing weather front.
The forecast said the second system “is looking quite potent,” and thunderstorms may be possible.
Gusty winds of 30 to 50 miles per hour will be possible on exposed ridges in Lake County. The forecast explains that the winds will still be ongoing as precipitation begins, and at elevations above the snow level, there will be a brief window of time — two to six hours — where near blizzard conditions could develop.
Early Monday could see heavy snowfall in elevations over 2,000 to 2,500 feet, with snow dropping to above 1,000 and 2,000 feet in elevation later in the day.
“There is still uncertainty as to how low snow levels go, but right now the greatest impacts are expected to be at elevations over 1,500 feet in all counties except Trinity where snow levels will likely remain around 1,000 feet,” the forecast said.
The forecast said showers will continue through Tuesday and into Tuesday night.
“This storm system has the potential to be very high impact for the region with numerous power outages caused from the heavy snow load and gusty winds,” the forecast noted.
Forecasters expect the showers to taper off late Tuesday night into Wednesday, adding that “the next storm of note may arrive late in the week into next weekend.”
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