Up to a third of an inch of rain for Merced this weekend, forecast says

The Merced area is set for up to about a third of an inch of rain this weekend, according to forecasters.

Rainstorms are headed into the Valley and could come as soon as Sunday afternoon and continue for about 24 hours, according to meteorologist Jim Bagnall of the National Weather Service in Hanford.

“After that looks we get to that ridge of high pressure,” he said.

After the potential rain subsides late Monday, Bagnall said, the rest of the week is likely to see foggy nights and mornings.

Through Monday, forecasters predict highs around 60 degrees and lows in the 40s, which are slightly warmer than is normal for this time of year.

Counties north of Merced are expected to see wetter weather.

Modesto could get up to an inch of rain between Sunday and Monday, the National Weather Service predicted in a report on two systems moving through the region.

The first system, which will mostly miss Merced, is expected to drop less than a 10th of an inch in the Modesto, Sonora, Stockton and Yosemite areas.

The Carson, Ebbetts, Sonora and Tioga passes could get less than an inch of snow. But the stronger second system, Sunday and Monday, is forecast to bring between half an inch to an inch of rain to Modesto, Sonora, Stockton and Yosemite.

Snowfall amounts of 3-4 inches on the Tioga Pass, 6-8 on Sonora and Ebbetts and 8-12 on Carson are predicted.

The Modesto Bee contributed to this report.

This story was originally published December 14, 2018 at 3:07 PM.