LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — After a Friday of steady rain and with an atmospheric river storm incoming, Lake County is set to go under a flood watch through the weekend.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch that will be in effect from 4 p.m. Saturday through 4 p.m. Monday.

The forecast says a Pacific storm track is bringing an atmospheric river that will move into Mendocino and Lake counties starting Saturday afternoon and continuing into Monday.

That storm track could potentially bring more heavy rainfall and strong southerly winds through much of next week, the National Weather Service reported.

The National Weather Service’s Eureka office said 3 to 5 inches of rain could fall during the duration of the flood watch.

That raises concerns for rising creeks and drainages, as well as rock and mudslides along roads and highways.

Besides heavy rain, the flood watch said there is the possibility that by early next week, snow levels could fall to as low as 3,500 to 4,500 feet.

The Lake County forecast expects rain through next Friday, with no break for Christmas.

Temperatures over the coming week are forecast to be in the low 50s during the day and the low 40s at night. 

Winds with gusts of more than 20 miles per hour are also in the forecast through the weekend.

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