UPDATE 3/13/21 — The storm system is now expected to reach Humboldt and Del Norte counties on Sunday morning, with rain and snow moving south and east, and arriving in Mendocino and Lake counties by late morning, according to a tweet from NWS Eureka. The agency has issued a winter weather advisory starting late Sunday afternoon and cautions that “Hazardous travel expected along highway 199, 299, 36, and 3.” Snow and hail is also expected on portions of U.S. Route 101 through Monday morning.
You can look up the current forecast for your specific area and road conditions using the resource guide at the end of the article.
WILLITS, 3/12/21 — The National Weather Service (NWS) is predicting a winter storm will hit the North Coast beginning Sunday evening through Monday morning. The forecast includes the possibility of snow accumulating between two and six inches or more, with snow levels as low as 1,000 feet in elevation, and hail possible at sea level.
Several portions of U.S. Route 101 north of Willits, as well as interior mountain roads, may see snow accumulating on the highway through Monday morning. Small hail may also lead to dangerous driving conditions throughout the region, including along the coast.
There is also currently a freeze warning in effect for Friday night until Saturday morning.
Links to more information about specific locations and road conditions can be found at below:
From NWS Eureka: A very cold upper-level storm system will move across northwest California Sunday and Monday. Cold air aloft combined with intense shower activity will drive snow levels down to 1000 feet Sunday evening into Monday morning. Accumulating snow will be likely across mountain roads and highway passes. In addition, accumulating small hail will be possible near sea level and will result in locally hazardous driving conditions.
Winter weather resources:
- Check your specific forecast at this link along with the National Weather Service advisories and warnings, as well as their Facebook page
- Check the CalTrans QuickMapfor current road closures or call 1-800-GAS-ROAD
- Check for current accidents at the CHP traffic update page
- Traffic cameras can be seen here
- You can also check out the Weather Underground to look for weather stations in your area.
- Check the PG&E current outage map to find our report power outages
- NWS is seeking snowfall reports, and you can submit them to this website.
- We recommend meteorologist Daniel Swain’s Weather West Blog as a good place to find more in-depth current weather analysis
- Here is a link to maps detailing recent burn scars and potential debris flow areas