Did it actually rain in Sacramento? Not quite, says expert. Here’s what actually happened
Triple digit temperatures continue through Thursday in Sacramento, with sightings of “lighting activity” early Tuesday morning, according the National Weather Service.
But did any rain actually fall in the Sacramento area?
Sacramento did not record measurable rainfall, according to the weather service — though some residents reported sprinkles. Lightning was spotted between the Livermore and the Stockton area, said Kate Forrest, a weather service meteorologist.
The lightning struck specifically in the Diablo Range, which was visible from Sacramento.
“I don’t believe we had any rain, I believe all of it was mostly high based — so there was some virga,” said Forrest.
According to the weather service, virga is “ghostly precipitation that never makes it to the ground.”
Valley faces muggy weather
Things will remain “pretty clear” in the downtown Sacramento area for the remainder of the week, Forrest said.
Heat advisory warnings will remain in place until 11 p.m. Thursday, in the Sacramento area, according to the weather service forecast. Tuesday triple digit temperatures will reach 105, then Friday there is some relief with temperatures remaining in the upper 90s.
The weather service urges residents to stay hydrated and assure you have access to proper cooling.
“There’s a chance also with that elevated moisture that we’re going to see some higher humidity in the valley,” Forrest said.
The dew point — which is used to measure how dry or humid the air is — in the Valley briefly hit 70 degrees in Stockton on Sunday, according to the weather service.
Dew point temperatures less than 55 degrees are considered “dry and comfortable,” The Bee previously reported. Then, 55 to 65 degrees is “’sticky’ with muggy evenings,” and more than 65 degrees means “lots of moisture in the air, becoming oppressive.”
“The higher the dew point = the muggier it feels outside,” the weather service posted on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter.
The dew point forecast for Sacramento shows the temperature reaching 64 degrees Thursday afternoon.
Dew points through the Valley are quite elevated compared to what we ordinarily see on a summer evening.
Current Valley dew points range from 55°F at Vacaville all the way to 67°F (briefly rising to 70°F️) in Stockton where rain showers have been observed. #CAwx— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) August 14, 2023
Potential for rain in the Sierra
Rain and thunder will mostly be focused in the Sierra crest and Sierra range for the rest of the week, Forrest said.
Scattered thunderstorms continue to be forecast in the Tahoe region, according to the weather service. Temperature highs will reach 83 on Wednesday in the Tahoe area.
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The Bee’s Hanh Truong contributed to this story.
