A cool morning led to surprise midday rain in a weird weather day Thursday that caused some traffic problems for the Central Valley.
A single-car rollover accident on the Fulkerth Road onramp to Highway 99 in Turlock was attributed to high speed in slippery conditions caused by the afternoon shower. No one was injured in the crash, but the onramp was closed for 45 minutes while the upside-down sport utility vehicle was removed.
Drivers on Highway 108 had to find an alternate route at the Sonora Pass. The California Department of Transportation closed the pass about 26 miles east of Strawberry to the Tuolumne and Mono county lines because of snow on Thursday.
Temperatures peaked at 64 degrees in Modesto, after hitting a high of 78 the day before, according to the Modesto Irrigation District. The cool temperatures came within two degrees of tying a record minimum high of 62 degrees set in 1948. (The record high was 95 in 1958.)
But valley residents shouldn't pull out their sweaters and fleece just yet. The 14-degree drop into the 60s is temporary, according to the National Weather Service.
The area will dry out and warm up as temperatures are expected to bound back up to the 70s today, and hit the high 70s and low 80s this weekend. Then next week, temperatures will continue to rise until Wednesday, when they are expected to peak at 87 degrees. The forecast calls for mostly sunny days, with no additional rain.
Temperatures for this time of year average in the low 80s, according to the National Weather Service.
Bee staff writer Marijke Rowland can be reached at mrowland@modbee.com or (209) 578-2284.
RSS
E-Mail
Print
Order reprints
