The Northstate is expected to see dangerous lightning, heavy rainfall and gusty winds this week, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). With lightning comes the possibility for fire in areas outside of the rain core. The NWS said Thursday will bring a minor thunderstorm risk, with a major risk expected on Friday. The rest of this weekend and start of the work week is expected to be mild weather following the brief, but intense, thunderstorms the Norhstate experienced Saturday night. The thunderstorms ramped up Saturday afternoon with heavy rain and strong winds around the region. The gusty winds even brought down large tree limbs in some areas and produced decent-sized hail.
Impact of Thunderstorms
The heavy rain, gusty winds, and hail caused a range of impacts across Northern California.
Flooding and Damaged Trees
Thunderstorms moving across Northern California on Saturday dropped heavy rain across parts of the region. The rain hit Roseville and Granite Bay from 2:30 to 4:10 p.m., Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn said. Douglas Boulevard in Roseville flooded during the storm, the viewer video above shows. Other areas like Yuba City also experienced heavy rain.
The storms also brought down trees and caused damage in some areas. Lance Richards, an arborist with the Redding Tree Service, said a good indicator that the three has been rocking is if the ground is swelled up on one side where the turf is not irrigated. "It you're concerned about a particular tree, you might go out and check around the root area and see if its purged up on one side," Richards said. After the storm, Richards tells residents to proceed with caution around trees. If you still have concerns about a tree, Richards said it's time to call an arborist. "Sometimes there's so many trees that come down that we're doing emergency work for months," he said.
Fire Danger
While no significant fires have occurred as a result of the storms, firefighters are on high alert Sunday watching for any spot fires that may have been undetected overnight.
Viewer Reports
The Northstate's News viewers shared their photos and videos with us on Chime-In showing the intensity of the storm. Jerry Kelley shared video from Gold Hills showing winds whipping the tree branches outside his home as rain poured down. In Happy Valley, Coleen Wogoman shared the below photos of an unusual cloud formation. Dorothy Willis submitted her video of very heavy rain pouring down at her home east of I-5. Near Mary Lake, strong winds whipped around the palm trees as sideways rain was coming down.
Rainfall Totals
Redding, Red Bluff and Stockton set new records for the day. Redding had 0.13 inch of rain, Red Bluff 0.09 and Stockton 0.05 inch. In the Sierra, Palisades Tahoe saw a dusting of snow. Rain totals in Siskiyou and Trinity counties were close to half an inch in a short period of time Saturday, Scofield said. Fast-moving showers came down in Redding, even drenching the KRCR Studios parking lot.
Aftermath and Looking Forward
Following a stormy Saturday, the sun is back out with relatively clear skies and mild temperatures Sunday. That trend is expected to continue to start off the work week.
A Look Back at the Storm
Strong thunderstorms rolled into Redding and surrounding areas Saturday afternoon bringing heavy rain, gusty winds, and even hail in some spots. These storms were expected in the forecast, according to the Northstate's News Chief Meteorologist Bryan Scofield. The rain was a welcome sight as the region has been dealing with scorching heat in the last several weeks.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said a severe thunderstorm warning was in effect through Saturday evening for central Shasta County. The storm brought gusty winds, which knocked down small tree limbs in some areas. Minor hail was also seen in some parts of the region, according to the NWS.
Areas Affected by the Storm
Redding, Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, Central Valley Cdp, Igo, Ono, Keswick, Central Valley, Whiskeytown, Centerville, and French Gulch, were all areas that experienced the storm system.
A Final Note
The thunderstorms moved out of the area by late Saturday evening, marking the end of a brief but powerful weather event. The Northstate is now looking ahead to a mild and sunny Sunday, with the weather expected to remain pleasant for the start of the work week.
