So, you probably woke up to the sound of water drumming against the glass and wondered if it was ever going to let up. It didn’t. For hours. If you’re living in Sacramento or the surrounding valley, today’s weather wasn’t just a "light drizzle" or a "typical winter day." It was a genuine soaking. But looking at the numbers—how much rain fell today—is actually way more interesting than just checking a gauge on your back porch.
Rain is weird. You can have two inches in Midtown while someone out in Roseville is seeing barely a half-inch. That’s exactly what we saw over the last twelve to eighteen hours as this specific atmospheric river system took a seat right over Northern California and refused to budge. Honestly, the variability is what catches most people off guard.
Breaking Down the Sacramento Rainfall Totals
The National Weather Service (NWS) station at Sacramento Executive Airport is usually the "official" word, but it rarely tells the whole story of the region. As of this afternoon, the gauge there recorded a solid 1.42 inches. That might not sound like a flood-level event, but when you consider that a huge chunk of that fell in a concentrated three-hour window during the morning commute, you start to understand why the I-80 was such a nightmare.
Downtown Sacramento actually saw slightly higher totals, hovering around 1.65 inches. It’s kind of wild how a few miles makes a difference. If you head further north toward the foothills, the numbers start climbing fast. Places like Auburn and Grass Valley are reporting totals closer to 2.5 to 3 inches. That’s a lot of water moving toward the American and Sacramento rivers all at once.
Why the "Rain Shadow" Didn't Save Us Today
Usually, the Coast Range acts like a giant umbrella for the valley. We call it a rain shadow. The clouds hit the mountains, dump their water on the coast, and we get the leftovers. Not today. This system had a very specific "moisture plume" orientation. It came in from the southwest, meaning it funneled straight through the Carquinez Strait. It’s basically a high-pressure fire hose aimed right at the Central Valley.
I’ve talked to meteorologists who point out that these "warm" storms are the ones to watch. Because the air is warmer, it holds more water vapor. We aren't seeing snow at 4,000 feet; we’re seeing rain. This means the runoff is immediate. It isn't getting "stored" as snowpack for the spring. It’s hitting the pavement, hitting the soil, and looking for a drain right now.
Comparing Today to Historical Records
We love to complain about the rain, but is this actually historic? Sort of. While 1.5 inches in a day isn't going to break the all-time 24-hour record—which, for the record, is a staggering 5.41 inches set back in October 2021—it puts us well above the "normal" daily average for mid-January.
Normally, Sacramento expects about 3.5 inches for the entire month of January. We just got nearly half of our monthly allowance in a single Tuesday. That’s the definition of "feast or famine" weather that defines California.
- 2021 Record: 5.41 inches (The "Bomb Cyclone" event).
- Average January Day: ~0.12 inches.
- Today's Reality: ~1.4 to 1.7 inches across the metro area.
You’ve probably noticed the local creeks, like Arcade Creek or Chicken Ranch Slough, looking pretty angry. These urban waterways respond almost instantly to rainfall totals. When we cross the one-inch threshold in under six hours, that’s usually when the local drainage systems start to give up.
The Infrastructure Struggle
The city’s drainage pipes are old. Some of the ones under the Grid date back decades, and they weren't designed for the "flashiness" of modern storms. Urbanization plays a huge role here too. More concrete means nowhere for the water to go but up and out.
If you saw standing water on the roads today, it’s likely because the leaf litter from the late fall is still clogging the grates. It’s a classic Sacramento problem. We have beautiful trees, but those trees turn into dam-builders the second a storm hits.
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What This Means for the Rest of the Week
The ground is now officially saturated. This is the turning point for the season. Before today, the soil was still soaking up the rain like a dry sponge. Now? That sponge is full. Any additional rain we get tomorrow or Thursday—even if it's only a quarter-inch—is going to behave like it's landing on tin. It’s all going to be runoff.
The Sierra Nevada is the real concern. While we’re getting rain in the valley, the higher elevations are seeing massive accumulations. But the "snow line" is the metric that matters. If it stays high (above 7,000 feet), we get more liquid water flowing into Folsom Lake. If it drops, we build that "frozen reservoir." As of right now, the snow line is hovering around 6,500 feet, which is okay, but not ideal for long-term flood control.
Practical Steps for the Next 24 Hours
Since the rain isn't completely finished, there are a few things you actually need to do instead of just watching the radar. Honestly, most people wait until the water is at their door to act. Don't be that person.
First, check your gutters. I know it’s wet out there, but if you see water cascading over the side of your roof like a waterfall, your foundation is taking a beating. Clear the splash blocks.
Second, if you're driving, remember that the first hour of rain after a dry spell is the slickest because of the oil on the road, but the heavy rain we had today creates a different risk: hydroplaning. Your tires can't displace an inch of standing water at 65 mph. Slow down. It’s not about your driving skill; it’s about physics.
Finally, keep an eye on the wind. Saturated soil means tree roots lose their grip. In Sacramento, the "City of Trees," a gust of 30 mph on a day like today can bring down a perfectly healthy-looking Oak or Elm because the ground has turned into soup.
Immediate Actions:
- Clear the storm drain on your street if it's covered in leaves. You’ll save your neighbor’s car from a flooded interior.
- Check your weather app for "Short-term Forecasts" or "Nowcasts" rather than the 10-day outlook. In these systems, the next two hours are all that matter.
- If you have a crawlspace, go check it with a flashlight. Catching a puddle now is better than finding a lake under your house in March.
- Ensure your "Go-Bag" is ready if you live in a low-lying area near a levee, just as a standard precaution for the season.