SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Pacific storm is bringing much-needed rain and snow to California at the tail-end of a largely dry winter.
Winter storm warnings are in effect Wednesday in the southern Cascades, down the length of the Sierra Nevada and in the mountains of Southern California. Caltrans is urging drivers to check for chain controls before heading through mountains.
The weather service says storm conditions have included showers, downpours, thunderstorms, hail and low-elevation snow.
Isolated thunderstorms brought periods of heavy rain and areas of hail throughout the Sacramento and Northern San Joaquin Valleys Tuesday afternoon.
For Wednesday, thunderstorms could bring accumulating hail and possible funnel clouds. Snow will continue to fall to as low as 2,500 to 3,500 feet above elevation. Gusty winds are expected around thunderstorm activity and in the Sierra.
These unseasonably cool temperatures will continue through Thursday then dry along with warmer temps for the weekend.
The Sierra snowpack is an important contributor to California‘s water supply, but at the start of March its water content was about half the average normally recorded on April 1, when it is typically at its most robust.
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