Modesto could get 4-plus more inches of rain this week, and lots of snow in watershed
The Modesto area will be even wetter than expected in the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.
An update Tuesday morning estimated up to 4.5 inches of rain between Tuesday and New Year’s Day. An earlier forecast had put the total at 3 inches.
The storms also will bring several feet of snow to Sierra Nevada watersheds. They are the main supply for Central Valley farms and cities.
The latest storm brought 1.51 inches to the Modesto Irrigation District’s downtown rain gauge from Monday evening to 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The total so far is 6.16 inches for the rainfall year, which started July 1. Most of it tends to come in November through March. An average year brings 12.12 inches.
Emergency agencies in Stanislaus County reported no major problems as of late morning Tuesday. That’s a change from windy storms in mid-December that brought downed trees and other impacts.
The current storm likely will bring minor flooding to areas with poor drainage. City residents can help by raking the last of the autumn leaves from gutters.
The central Sierra snowpack stood at 143% of average to date Tuesday morning, according to the California Department of Water Resources. It had reached 160% in early December before a dry spell dropped it back.
Tuesday’s snow was forecast to be as low as 6,500 feet in elevation, roughly the Pinecrest area along Highway 108. A colder storm Wednesday and Thursday could drop it to about 3,500 feet, around Twain Harte. The snowfall could be around 5,000 feet by Saturday.
This story was originally published December 27, 2022 at 12:24 PM.
