A flood watch and winter storm warning are in effect this weekend as the first major storm of 2026 is expected to bring rain and snow across Northern California.
The storm will begin Friday evening, with winds picking up to more than 20 mph. By Saturday morning, winds could get up to 30 mph from Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe.
The colder, wetter atmospheric river will bring mountain snow throughout the weekend. There will be some pauses throughout the storm, but rain and snow are expected until Tuesday.
Rainfall estimates
Friday will bring a few lighter showers by the early evening. The larger part of the storm will then makes it way into the area by Friday night and into Saturday, with the potential for thunderstorms Saturday afternoon…