069
AGUS76 KRSA 250312
HMDRSA
HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE / CALIFORNIA NEVADA RFC / SACRAMENTO CA
715 PM PST TUE FEB 24 2026
..HEAVIEST PRECIP SLOWLY SINKS SOUTH OVERNIGHT
..WEDNESDAY WILL SEE PRECIP TAPER OFF ACROSS THE REGION
METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (TUE PM - MON AM)
THE AFTERNOON CONTINUED TO SEE THE MOISTURE PLUME AIMED AT THE
NORTHERN CA COAST WITH MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY PRECIP OVER THE
HIGHER TERRAIN FOR AREAS NORTH OF THE I-80 CORRIDOR. LOOKING AT
PRECIP GAUGE REPORTS FOR THE 6-HOUR PERIOD ENDING AT 25/00Z...IT WAS
COMMONPLACE TO SEE BETWEEN 1.00- AND 1.50-INCHES FOR COASTAL
LOCATIONS BETWEEN THE EEL AND UPPER RUSSIAN RIVER BASINS AND THEN
INLAND OVER THE SHASTA LAKE DRAINAGE ALONG WITH THE CREEKS JUST
BELOW THE DAM DOWN THE NORTHERN SIERRA OVER THE FEATHER AND YUBA
RIVER BASINS.
FOR THE EVENING HOURS...RADAR IMAGERY IS FINALLY SHOWING THE BEST
RETURNS SLIDING SOUTHWARD AND BEGINNING TO IMPACT THE ENTIRE RUSSIAN
RIVER BASIN...WHILE INLAND CONTINUING OVER THE SHASTA LAKE DRAINAGE
DOWN THE SIERRA TO THE AMERICAN RIVER BASIN. THE 25/00Z NAM AND HRRR
DOES HOLD PRECIP UP A BIT FROM CONTINUING TO SHIFT SOUTHWARD WITH
THE BEST TOTALS NORTH OF I-80. GIVEN THIS CONTINUED SLOWING...FOR
THE EVENING QPF ISSUANCE...AMOUNTS NORTH OF I-80 WERE INCREASED
ANYWHERE FROM 0.10- TO 0.50-INCH...WHILE AREAS SOUTH OF I-80 WERE
DECREASED SIMILAR AMOUNTS. TOTALS FOR THIS 6-HOUR PERIOD WILL RANGE
FROM 0.50- TO 1.00-INCH ALONG COASTAL AREAS OF THE RUSSIAN RIVER
BASIN AND APPROXIMATELY 0.75- TO 1.25-INCHES FOR THE FEATHER AND
YUBA RIVER BASINS.
OVERNIGHT...PRECIP WILL BEGIN TO SHOW A DOWNWARD TREND IN TERMS OF
PRECIP RATES...ESPECIALLY COASTAL AREAS AROUND THE SF BAY AREA.
ALTHOUGH THE PW PLUME WILL STILL BE SHOWING VALUES NEAR 1.50-INCHES
ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST...THE MAGNITUDE OF WARM AIR ADVECTION AND
ISENTROPIC LIFT WILL DECREASE...WHILE CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS
INCREASE. ENOUGH ONSHORE WEST-SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO
GENERATE ENOUGH OROGRAPHIC LIFT ACROSS THE SIERRA BETWEEN THE YUBA
AND STANISLAUS RIVER BASINS FOR WIDESPREAD PRECIP AMOUNTS BETWEEN
0.25- AND 0.75-INCH.
ANY REMAINING FORCING WILL CONTINUE TO WANE TOMORROW AS THE MOISTURE
PLUME SLOWLY SINKS SOUTH AND STALLS AROUND THE CENTRAL CA COAST.
SOME LIGHT UPSLOPE PRECIP WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE CENTRAL SIERRA
MAINLY FROM THE AMERICAN RIVER BASIN SOUTH TO THE TUOLUMNE RIVER
BASIN.
FREEZING LEVELS ARE STILL RUNNING QUITE HIGH GIVEN THE TROPICAL
AIRMASS IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION. THE 25/00Z RAOBS ACROSS THE
NORTHERN TIER SHOW KMFR AT 8300-FEET...KLKN AT 9800-FEET...KREV AT
9600-FEET...AND KOAK THE HIGHEST AT 12200-FEET. DATA FROM THE CW3E
MICRO RAIN RADARS ALL POINT TO THESE ELEVATED SNOW LEVELS. THE
MARTIS CREEK STATION IN THE TRUCKEE RIVER BASIN IS CURRENTLY SHOWING
A READING OF 9478-FEET AT 25/0230Z...WHILE JUST UPSTREAM AT NEW
BULLARDS BAR THE EQUIPMENT MEASURED 10440-FEET AT 25/0230Z...AND
ALONG THE COASTAL RANGE AT POTTER VALLEY CENTRAL THE READING WAS
10302-FEET AT 25/0130Z. THESE WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO FLUCTUATE NEAR
PRESENT LEVELS INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE AREA REMAIN LOCKED IN THE WARM
AIRMASS OVERHEAD.
QPF GRAPHICS ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.CNRFC.NOAA.GOV/QPF.PHP
DRK
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