Snow, freezing temperatures headed to California’s central San Joaquin Valley this week

Following some relatively nice weather over President’s Day weekend, a storm system is expected to roll through the central San Joaquin Valley early next week.

It will bring limited rain, mountain snow, and sub-zero temperatures.

The National Weather Service expects daily high temperatures to drop by 10 degrees from Sunday to Monday. By Tuesday, temperatures drop to the mid-50s — 10 to 15 degrees below normal for the season.

This will be accompanied by rain on Monday evening, spreading southward from Yosemite through Tuesday, in levels around 0.10 to 0.25 of an inch. Areas of the south valley could see closer to a half-inch.

This would be the first significant rainfall in a year that started out breaking records with its lack of precipitation.

Snowfall will be more significant, with levels expected to drop to 1,000 feet, possibly lower by Wednesday morning. Areas of the Sierra Nevada could see several inches of snow. The highest parts of the Tehachapi pass into Southern California could see three to six inches of snow.

While the bulk of the storm will pass by Wednesday, the cold temperatures will last the week.

The Weather Service forecasts overnight lows at 28 degrees through Friday, though those areas away from the cities could be two or three degrees colder. Daytime highs will remain below average and not reach 60 degrees.

Be prepared to cover sensitive, exposed vegetation and outdoor plumbing, the Weather Service said.

This story was originally published February 20, 2022 at 10:01 AM.