Modesto’s brilliant fall weather to give way to rain

If you’ve been looking around at all, you have seen that autumn at last has arrived in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. Leaves that in other climates have long since disappeared have turned that beautiful golden, orange and red that just scream “fall.”

Enjoy it now, because next week, there’s a good chance we will be getting some rain – just in time for you to hit the road for your Thanksgiving destination.

This weekend is expected to be mostly sunny, after a little night and morning fog. Highs will be in the upper 60s, with lows dropping into the upper 40s. Mild breezes of about 5 mph are expected during the day, dropping off at night.

That ends early next week: The National Weather Service issued a “Special Weather Statement” for the Northern San Joaquin Valley, warning of wet weather starting as early as Monday.

“The next storm system from the Gulf of Alaska will drop south into NorCal overnight Monday into Tuesday with cooler temperatures, rain, and snow through early Thanksgiving Day,” the statement says.

Forecasters go on to urge caution to people on the roads for the holiday. According to AAA Travel, there will be a whole lot of them.

In its yearly forecast, the travel agency predicts that 49.9 million Americans – 5.7 million of them in California – will travel 50 miles or more from home. That’s an increase for the seventh consecutive year.

Of those travelers, a majority of them will be on the road. AAA estimates that nearly 5 million Californians will drive to their destinations.

“Lower gas prices and a higher level of consumer optimism have contributed to an increase in holiday excursions,” AAA Northern California spokeswoman Cynthia Harris said in a statement.

Drier weather is expected to return by Friday.

This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Modesto’s brilliant fall weather to give way to rain."