Scattered storms in Valley; hail reported in Turlock and Atwater

Thunderstorms came in brief bursts around the Northern San Joaquin Valley on Thursday, the most severe in Turlock and Merced County, where residents were pelted with hail.

The storm, which came from the Pacific Northwest, resulted in only 0.03 inches of rain in downtown Modesto as of 8 p.m., according to the Modesto Irrigation District.

However, it dumped half an inch or more to the south. To the north, the rain forced the postponement of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I and II individual tennis tournaments in Roseville.

Snow levels dropped to 5,000 feet in the early morning.

“The majority of the (snow) activity has been over the Sierra south of Highway 50,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Craig Shoemaker.

The Tioga and Glacier Point roads in Yosemite National Park were closed due to snow and icy conditions. There were chain controls on Highway 108 from the Long Barn area east.

There was at least one weather-related crash in Merced County.

While clouds will linger Friday, there are no showers expected and the temperature should rise to the mid-70s, said Shoemaker.

Temperatures should continue to climb through the weekend to the low 80s but then drop again to the 70s at the beginning of the workweek.

This story was originally published May 7, 2015 at 4:08 PM with the headline "Scattered storms in Valley; hail reported in Turlock and Atwater."