300
FXUS66 KSTO 202135
AFDSTO

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
135 PM PST Fri Feb 20 2026

For additional details on weather and expected impacts over the
next 7 days, please visit weather.gov/sto/briefing.

.KEY MESSAGES...

 - Mostly dry with cold morning temperatures through Saturday with
   a few showers and snow showers over the northern mountains and
   Coast Range

 - Warm storm brings additional rounds of rain, gusty southerly
   winds and high elevation mountain snow Sunday through mid next
   week

&&

.DISCUSSION...

...Today through Saturday...
Current GOES-West visible satellite imagery shows partly to mostly
cloudy skies for much of interior northern California on this
Friday afternoon, with the fresh snowpack peaking through. Drier
conditions have returned to the area today behind the passage of
the storm system that has exited the region. Another round of cold
temperatures will impact the area tonight into Saturday morning,
and a Cold Weather Advisory has been issued for the southern
Cascades and northern Sierra where lows may drop to the teens to
low 20s, with isolated single digits above 7000 feet. Some showers
and snow showers will move in tonight through Saturday over the
Coast Range and Shasta County mountains, however dry weather is
expected elsewhere. Some periodically breezy southerly winds can
be expected on Saturday as well.

...Sunday into Next Week...
Ensemble guidance indicates increasing confidence in a warm
system arriving later this weekend that will bring additional
rounds of rain and high elevation mountain snow into next week,
along with periodically breezy southerly winds. The snow levels
with this storm continue to trend higher, with latest guidance
showing snow levels initially around 4500-5500 feet on Sunday,
rising to 6000-8000 feet Monday, then 7500-8500 feet Tuesday, and
then lowering down to 5500-7500 feet Wednesday into Thursday as
precipitation tapers off. The latest precipitation forecast and
wind gust forecast has decreased. We will continue to monitor the
trends for this storm closely. Slick roads, localized flooding,
and minor travel delays will be possible with this next storm. Be
sure to check back for updates as we get closer!

&&

.AVIATION...
General VFR conditions over the next 24 hours at TAF sites.
Surface winds generally at or below 12 knots through most of the
forecast period. Southerly winds increase after 18Z Saturday.
Periods of MVFR/IFR conditions in the mountains north of
Interstate 80 after 06Z Saturday due to showers and snow showers.

&&

.STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Cold Weather Advisory in effect for the northern Sierra and
southern Cascades from 10 PM this evening through 10 AM Saturday.

&&

$$