Rain and snow adds up through weekend in Fresno area. Here’s what’s ahead this week
The central San Joaquin Valley including Fresno got a spritz of water overnight Sunday as the latest storm was coming to its end, according to meteorologists.
Fresno saw 0.02 inches of rain while areas in the foothills received about 1.5 inches over a 24-hour period from Sunday to Monday , the National Weather Service said.
That brings Fresno’s grand total since the start of the year to 4.42 inches, which is under the average of 9.72 inches, records show.
The weekend’s winter storm altogether brought almost an inch to the Fresno area, the service said.
The northern part of the Valley and state received higher levels of precipitation, with Merced getting 0.16 on Sunday and more than an inch on Saturday, records show.
Sacramento got 0.96 and 0.31 inches on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Meteorologists are warning of near-freezing temperatures at night through Wednesday for areas outside of major urban areas. That means they recommend residents in more rural locations bring pets inside and cover sensitive outdoor plants.
High temperatures for the week are expected to hover just above 50 degrees. There’s a lower chance of rain (20%) on Friday night through Sunday.
Snow and chains
Chain checkpoints may be in place throughout the day on Monday depending on the snowfall in certain areas in the mountains, California Highway Patrol officer Mike Salas said.
The CHP announced Sunday the checkpoints on Highway 168 at Cressman Road and on Highway 180 at Milwood Road.
Officers and Caltrans will be checking cars at the top of the four-lane highway to make sure they have the required chains, Salas said, adding they could spring up in other areas, as well.
Salas said chains or cables are required to be in any vehicle every day, even those with all-wheel drive.
“Can’t stress it enough that all vehicles must carry chains at all times regardless of the type of vehicle you are driving,” he said in a text message.
China Peak recorded as much as 5 feet of snow in the past week, and around 10 feet for the season.
I-5 and the Grapevine
Travelers headed south should plan for delays and difficult road conditions, according to the weather service, because an inch of snow was expected to continue to fall until Monday evening on Tehachapi Pass and over the Grapevine on I-5.
Higher elevations were expected to get 3 to 6 inches, forecasters said.
This story was originally published December 12, 2022 at 9:49 AM.
