Excessive Rainfall Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
701 PM EST Fri Dec 19 2025
Day 2
Valid 12Z Sat Dec 20 2025 - 12Z Sun Dec 21 2025

...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL IN PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA|...

20Z Update: Continuity from the previous forecast was maintained as
12z model suite continued to project similar results from earlier
runs leading to little/no variability in the forecast. Expecting
areas within the northern Sierra Nevada to receive the most
appreciable precipitation given the trajectory of the IVT pulse and
persistent 850-600mb moisture feed with added upslope components
near the terrain. Greatest flood concerns likely in the adjacent
foothills on the windward side of the Sierra's. Highest probs for
>5" are across the I-80 corridor at the CA/NV border with the
highest terrain still likely to be snow, limiting the threat for
flash flooding for the period to more of a MRGL stance. Thus, kept
the previous forecast with no change.

Kleebauer

..Previous Discussion..

A relative lull in moisture surges expected during the majority of
this period before the next stronger atmospheric river from the
Pacific reaches northern California towards the end of Day 2.
Although there may be some overlap in heavy rainfall, the axis of
the strongest on-shore winds and the greatest on-shore moisture
transport looks to be south of the axis of the previous event.

Precipitable water values increase to between 1.2 and 1.4 inches
along the northern California coast north of San Francisco south of
the Oregon/California border by early Saturday evening. Given such
high snow levels...there is not a lot of concern about
precipitation type until the moisture laden flow reaches the
northern end of the Sierra Nevada range (save for a few mountain
tops along the trajectory inland from the coast). The urban centers
between Sacramento to San Francisco will be more at play this
period lead

Campbell/Bann


Day 2 threat area: www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/qpf/98epoints.txt