California’s wet winter is getting wilder.

Over the weekend, it snowed in parts of coastal Humboldt, creating white winter conditions in Eureka and Arcata.

Snow closed major roads in the Sierra as well as the Tejon Pass in Southern California, jamming Interstate 5 traffic Sunday.

And another powerful storm is going to barrel into California beginning Tuesday. Here’s what to expect:


Southern California

Here are preliminary rainfall totals expected between Tuesday evening through Thursday night. Overall 1-2.5" Coast/Valleys 2.5 to 4" for the foothills/Mountains. #CAwx #LArain #Socal pic.twitter.com/Qjo2UGMyij — NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 11, 2019

A potent wet, windy storm system will impact the area from late Tuesday into early Thursday. These images show a general idea of what to expect and when at a number of sites across the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas. Flood/wind watches will be considered today. #cawx pic.twitter.com/p0m0rSmanL — NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) February 11, 2019

Below-normal temperatures are expected through next week throughout Southern California. Another storm is predicted to hit the region Wednesday and continue through Thursday, and resume late Friday night and into Saturday, forecasters said.

“We are still in a storming pattern where every few days we get some rain,” said Kathy Hoxsi, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Oxnard. “And because each storm brings in a fresh round of cold air, we are going to be chilly for a while.”


Sunday’s storm brought so much snow that the Grapevine was closed for hours.

Northern California

It is going to be a wet week across the state of CA. Heaviest rain for #NorCal is expected on Wednesday. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/MdzR8CW0yP — NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) February 11, 2019

Travel plans to the mountains this week? Here are the latest thoughts on the forecast for the next few days. Snow levels are expected to rise considerably during the winter storm on Wednesday. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/N18uNIrIuL — NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) February 11, 2019

More heavy snow is headed to the mountains this week! Several feet of snow are possible at pass levels. #cawx pic.twitter.com/tz8vJdyxTb — NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) February 11, 2019


The “atmospheric river,” which has brought a lot of rain and snow to the region this year, will return Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Strong winds and heavy rain meaning power outages and flooding, with a chance of landslides,” the National Weather Service said in a statement.

A flood watch is in effect through Thursday in large swaths of the Central Valley. The “biggest concerns are moderate rises in small streams and urban flooding with the potential for ponding on roads,” the weather service said.

Heavy snow is expected in the Sierras Wednesday.


Many parts of Northern California are already far ahead of average rainfall totals for the year. And the latest storm will boost those numbers.

Snowing on the coast

… And before we go, here are some images of the coastal snow over the weekend in Eureka and Arcata.

Officials said it was the first time it snowed this much along the beach area since 2002.

Being one of the last smartphone virgins, I have to show somebody else's visual record of last night's extremely rare snowfall here in Arcata (not to be confused with Arcadia!), California.https://t.co/GWg9mmMjm4 — Brian Dixon (@HeTweetsAtLast) February 10, 2019