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Strong Storm System Headed to Fresno, Other Valley Cities

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A strong storm could drop up to 1 inch of rain on the Valley floor on Sunday and Monday, according to NWS Hanford. (Shutterstock)
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A series of storms will drop light rain on Central California beginning Wednesday and then ramp up with heavier precipitation on Sunday, the National Weather Service in Hanford says.

The initial rain is expected north of Fresno County, but the later storm could deliver up to 1 inch across the Valley floor. Rainfall could total as much as 3 inches in the foothills. And, higher elevations could see 5 inches or more, the weather service said Tuesday.

The snow level elevation in the Sierra is expected to be at about 9,000 feet. Snow totals of up to 2 or 3 feet are anticipated.

‘Wild Ride’ Storm Hits Northern California

A storm now dropping rain and snow in Northern California is expected to end the wildfire season in that part of the state.

The week’s first storm moved through Sunday night, bringing enough snow to shut down highways over the Sierra’s higher passes and require chains for vehicles on Interstate 80. The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab at Donner Pass reported 10.3 inches of snow by 8 a.m. Monday.

“That was a pretty wild ride for the first real storm of the year,” the California Highway Patrol’s Truckee office tweeted.

Light rain was expected to continue Wednesday in Northern California, followed by “progressively wetter systems” Thursday and Friday, and then more precipitation over the weekend and into next week, the Sacramento weather office said.

(Associated Press contributed to this article.)

 

Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email