926
FOUS11 KWBC 192023
QPFHSD
PROBABILISTIC HEAVY SNOW AND ICING DISCUSSION
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
423 PM EDT SUN APR 19 2026
VALID 00Z MON APR 20 2026 - 00Z THU APR 23 2026
..CALIFORNIA
DAY 2 AND 3...
A WELL DEFINED UPPER LOW OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC WILL SLOWLY MAKE
ITS WAY TOWARDS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA GOING INTO TUESDAY, WITH A
PLUME OF ENHANCED MOISTURE AHEAD OF IT. THIS MOISTURE AXIS SHOULD
REACH THE NORTHERN SIERRA AROUND 6Z TUESDAY WITH SNOW LEVELS
GENERALLY NEAR 7000 FEET AHEAD OF THE FRONT, AND THEN DROPPING TO
BELOW PASS AND LAKE LEVELS BY 00Z WEDNESDAY AS THE CORE OF THE
UPPER LOW MOVES INLAND, AND THEN CLOSER TO 5000 FEET BY 12Z
WEDNESDAY AS THE LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES STEEPEN, BUT THE INTENSITY
OF THE SNOW STARTS TAPERING OFF BY THEN AND BECOMING MORE IN THE
FORM OF SNOW SHOWERS.
WPC PROBABILITIES FOR AT LEAST 12 INCHES HAVE INCREASED TO GREATER
THAN 70% ACROSS THE HIGHEST TERRAIN OF THE CENTRAL SIERRA FOR THE
24 HOUR PERIOD ENDING AT 12Z WEDNESDAY, AND WINTER STORM WATCHES
HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS REGION. THESE SAME PROBABILITIES
ARE UP TO 30-40% FOR THE INTERSTATE 80 AND ROUTE 50 PASSES. SOME OF
THE HIGHEST PEAKS/RIDGES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ARE ALSO LIKELY TO
GET SIGNIFICANT SNOW, BUT SHOULD NOT CAUSE MAJOR IMPACT ON MOST
ROADS OUTSIDE OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
THE PROBABILITY FOR SIGNIFICANT FREEZING RAIN EXCEEDING 0.1 INCHES
ACROSS THE CONUS IS LESS THAN 10 PERCENT.
HAMRICK/JACKSON
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