The National Weather Service in Reno has issued both a Special Weather Statement and a Flash Flood Watch warning that heavy rain and and an active weather pattern will increase the potential for impacts near burn scars this evening and through the weekend.
Forecasters say that several weather systems with periods of heavy rain and high snow levels will impact the region Thursday night and Friday morning, and then again Saturday night through Monday. Be prepared for periods of moderate to strong winds, heavy rainfall and significant high elevation snow accumulations.
Warm, moist air mass will keep snow levels near and above 8,000 feet with this tonight and Friday. Expect a period of heavy rain in the Sierra from Donner Pass area northward to Plumas and Lassen Counties. Rainfall rates may be intense enough to generate debris flows on and near the Dixie, Sheep, Walker and Beckwourth burn scars.
Another storm is expected to impact us Saturday night through Monday with increasing confidence for periods of heavy rain, even in the mountains, possible flood impacts on burn areas, urban flooding in poor drainage spots and rock slides in steep terrain.
Saturday morning may be a good day to clean those drains and gutters ahead of the storm. Significant wet-dense snow accumulations are forecast in the higher elevations of the Sierra.
There is a Flash Flood and Debris Flow Watch in effect for a portion of northeast California, including Lassen, eastern Plumas and eastern Sierra counties from this evening through Friday morning.
A short period of heavy rainfall is possible tonight and Friday morning in and downstream of the Dixie, Sheep, Walker, and Beckwourth burn scars. Debris flows, ash flows, rock falls, and tree falls are possible with short bursts of heavy rainfall.
