This weekend is off to a stormy start with strong winds, rainfall in the valley and heavy Sierra snow.

Saturday is a KCRA 3 Weather Alert day with a few rounds of heavy rain in the Valley, high winds and all-day snow in the Sierra that could impact travel.

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Below is a breakdown of what to expect in rain, snow and wind.

wind

Strong winds will blow before sunrise on Saturday morning. Much of the Valley will experience gusts of 35 to 50 mph between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. Winds of this magnitude could scatter or damage loose objects in yards. Homeowners should double check their Christmas decorations Friday afternoon to make sure they are safe.

The foothills will also experience strong winds for several hours later this morning, particularly south of Highway 50.

Wind gusts can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour over the Sierra ridge. This will have an impact on operations in ski areas.

Winds will gradually weaken Saturday afternoon into the evening.

Snow

Snow showers will result in further chain checks throughout the day on Friday. Climbing the peaks is possible in the afternoon.

Snow depth starts at around 5,000 feet and then rises to 6,000 feet. Donner Summit will see three to six inches of snow during the day Friday.

Saturday will not be a good day for traveling to the mountains.

A more intense round of snow is forecast. Snow falls steadily from early morning to evening, accumulating quickly at times. Snowfall combined with gusty winds significantly reduces visibility and makes travel dangerous.

Snow totals on Saturday could reach 12 to 18 inches at Donner Summit. Tahoe area ski resorts could see up to three feet of new snow between Friday and Saturday.

Sunday will be a clear day with lighter winds.

Rain

It won’t rain all day on Saturday, but a few spells of wet weather could bring heavy rainfall. One round will be finished around 4am on Saturday. A second round is possible between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m

These bands of rain could trigger lightning and thunder as they roll into the foothills later this morning.

The afternoon will be largely dry in the valley, although isolated showers and thunderstorms are still possible until sunset.

Precipitation between Thursday and Saturday will help bring most locations in Northern California close to their respective average amounts for this point in December.

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