Light showers expected Tuesday evening for Merced

Merced County residents will get a little break from the rain Tuesday before getting hit with more showers after sunset, according to forecasters.

Brian Ochs, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford, said Merced County is expected to receive a quarter to half-an-inch of rain Tuesday evening. The showers will linger through Wednesday morning and late afternoon, he added.

Merced County historically gets 11.5 inches of rainfall this time of year, Ochs said, but has only gotten 8.21 inches thus far. Still, this year’s rainfall totals surpass last year’s 3.79 inches.

“But we still have some catching up to do,” Ochs said.

Thursday will provide another break from the rain and Friday brings a 30 percent chance of showers, Ochs predicted. But the weekend appears to be dry, according to the forecaster. “We’re not expecting much rain by the weekend,” he said, “it’s trending further and further north.”

Ochs said a winter weather advisory will be issued for snow in the Sierras, with snowfall Tuesday expected to reach 4 to 7 inches at the 5,000-feet elevation level.

Yosemite National Park officials said Monday the Tioga and Glacier Point roads are closed for the season because of deep snow and icy conditions.

Officials said a series of storm systems have passed through the Yosemite region over the last several weeks, resulting in snow accumulations of up to two feet of snow in the higher elevations of the park, including Tuolumne Meadows and Glacier Point.

The roads usually close each fall and remain closed throughout the winter until spring, according to a news release.

Yosemite National Park is open year-round with snow removal on roads within the park, but all roads within the park are subject to chain control or temporary closures due to hazardous driving conditions, according to the release.

Officials said motorists are required to carry tire chains, even if their car is equipped with four-wheel drive, while driving in the park during the winter months.

This story was originally published December 15, 2014 at 7:20 PM with the headline "Light showers expected Tuesday evening for Merced."