Storm to bring heavy rain to Merced region, snow to Sierra Nevada. How long will it last?

Merced County will see its second winter storm in less than three days with over an inch of rain expected to fall this weekend, according to forecasters with the National Weather Service.

Thursday’s storm brought a half to almost three-quarters of an inch of rain to Merced County, according to Jim Bagnall, a meteorologist at the NWS Hanford Office.

“The next (storm) will bring 1.22 inches of rain Friday through Sunday to Merced,” Bagnall said. “This is a winter storm with sub-tropic moisture tied to it.”

Forecasters say the storm won’t be as cold as the system that hit the region Thursday. “The rain should be coming in late tonight, after midnight,” Bagnall said.

The storm will bring warmer temperatures with a high of 58 degrees on Saturday and 61 degrees on Sunday. Overnight lows are expected to be in the upper 40s, according to Bagnall.

There could be wind gusts of 15 to 20 mph this weekend.

Heavy Sierra Nevada snowfall is expected at times throughout the weekend , and accumulations could reach as much as 2 feet at elevations between 7,000 and 8,000 feet, and as much as four feet at elevations over 8,000 feet.

NWS forecasters issued a winter storm warning effective Friday night into early Monday morning for the Sierra Nevada range from Yosemite National Park southward into the mountains east of Tulare County.

“The majority of precipitation associated with this storm system will fall Saturday and Saturday night,” forecasters reported Friday. “Snow levels will start at around 7,000 feet Friday night, before dropping to about 5,000 feet Sunday.”

The high winds coming along with the snow could make mountain travel dangerous with wind gusts expected to read as high as 60 mph in higher elevations.