One final round of rain expected in Modesto, then dry but frosty conditions
What appears to be the last storm for a while was expected to arrive in the Modesto area Wednesday night.
The National Weather Service forecast up to 0.25 inches of rain in the city and up to 6 inches of snow in its Sierra Nevada watershed. The following days look to be dry but frosty.
A few areas of Stanislaus County remain evacuated due to flood threats that have built up over the past month.
Just east of Patterson, an evacuation was ordered from the river to as far west as Elm and Poplar avenues, as far north as Del Puerto Creek and as far south as Fig Avenue.
An evacuation zone was reduced in a strip on the east side of River Road between Crows Landing Road and Hills Ferry Road. Now it is only as far north as Villamanucha Road.
On Tuesday, officials canceled an evacuation warning for a pair of trailer parks along the Tuolumne River at Ninth Street. The same day, evacuation orders and warnings were lifted in an area along the San Joaquin near Crows Landing.
The San Joaquin was about 5 feet below flood stage Wednesday and holding steady, the county Office of Emergency Services said.
The Tuolumne was running about 6.5 feet below flood stage Wednesday at the Ninth Street Bridge, down about 1 foot from Tuesday. It has not caused major flooding yet thanks to unused space in the vast Don Pedro Reservoir.
The Turlock Irrigation District, which manages the releases, reduced them to allow the channel to handle water from Dry Creek. This undammed tributary enters the Tuolumne just east of downtown Modesto and was expected to peak Tuesday.
The Modesto Irrigation District has recorded 12.96 inches of rain at its downtown office for the water year that began July 1. The 1.17 inches Monday put the total over the historical annual average of 12.12 inches, with about 10 weeks left in the main storm season.
The central Sierra snowpack stood at 253% of average Wednesday, the California Department of Water Resources said.
The Weather Service said the latest storm would move in at about 10 p.m. Wednesday. Thursday is expected to be partly sunny, with a high in Modesto of 48 degrees.
Friday’s forecast shows a low of 32, with a frost advisory from 4 to 9 a.m., and then a high of 48. Early morning frost also could happen on Saturday and Sunday.
This story was originally published January 18, 2023 at 9:44 AM.
