Caltrans Scrambles Between Storms As Winter Blast Awaits On Tuesday

KINGVALE (CBS13) — It's Round 2 of wet weather for Northern California. The atmospheric river usually brings a storm every week or two during the winter months. Experts with the National Weather Service say it's unusual to see two storms within 72 hours.

"Busy," said a snow plow operator describing his night.

Its a constant fight in the sierra.

"It gets too deep to push," he continued.

People are pushing snow as inches will turn to feet this week.

"The last 24 hours have been pretty crazy," said Pat Day, the night superintendent at Caltrans Kingvale location.

"We don't want the rain on top of the snow, no way," said Day.

His crews have been working 12 hour shifts. Over the weekend they dealt with heavy rain and a mudslide that shut down I-80 for 16 hours.

"We were looking pretty good and then we just got socked with the rain coming in," said Day.

"It was definitely a 10 to 20 year storm that we saw," said Michelle Mead with the National Weather Service.

Ten to 15 inches of rain fell at elevations as high as 8,000 feet. The ground is now saturated and it's not over yet.

"The system that we have coming in tonight and Wednesday is going to bring us another surge of pretty impressive rainfall," said mead.

She says people in the valley can expect two to three inches of rain, but this time snow will fall below 5,000 feet.

"Because of the lower snow levels we'll be measuring in feet of snow by the time all is said and done," said Mead.

Mead is also forecasting stronger winds including white out conditions.

"Even your healthy trees, when that ground gets so saturated, those roots can lift right out," Mead explained.

The work is not over for Day and his crews. It's only changing from mud, to snow.

"They come in, get a good meal, get some sleep and they're ready to go the next day," said Day with a smile.