SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A big warm-up is expected for the last weekend of March. Afternoon high temperatures will be 10-15 degrees above average.
Saturday and Sunday highs will come close to 80 degrees for the valley and close to 60 degrees in the Sierra.
These warm conditions mean Sierra snow will be melting and moving downhill this weekend and over the next couple of months. Local waterways will be very cold and swift so even though most people won't be swimming, those spending time enjoying the beautiful trails and recreation should be extra cautious.
Water temperatures are generally in the 50s for the American, Stanislaus, and Yuba rivers. The Delta is slightly warmer nearing the upper 50s to near 60 degrees in some monitoring locations.
Hypothermia can set in quickly with water temperatures this cold. Loss of breathing and muscle control can happen within minutes once submerged.
In the meantime, air temperatures will be quite warm. High temperatures this time of year usually happen around 5 p.m. Sunday is forecasted to be the warmer of the two weekend days.
Records this time of year run in the mid to upper 80s, so at this point, it looks like this will not be record-setting heat.
Continue the conversation with Monica on Facebook.
