A winter storm smashed a rainfall record in Redding in a February finale before warm weather returns to the North State. It also left Lake Shasta and other Northern California reservoirs burbling with more water than usual for this time of year.
The wet storm brought consistent rain throughout the day on Tuesday, dropping 2.74 inches at Redding Regional Airport, according to National Weather Service data.
“Redding set a daily maximum rainfall record” for Feb. 24, said Katrina Hand at the weather service’s Sacramento branch. That broke the old record of 2.04 inches of rain, set on Feb. 24, 1958.
The Redding area will have a chance to dry out and warm up a bit during the second half of this week, forecasters said.
Here’s how full are North State lakes and what’s happening in Redding weather-wise after rain and snow fell in February.
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When will Redding weather warm up?
Afternoon temperatures in Redding were expected to rise into the 70s on Thursday, Feb. 26, Hand said, and nights in the city won’t get colder than the upper 40s.
The warmest day was forecast to be Friday, Feb. 27 with a high of 78 degrees in the forecast.
Warm dry weather will last at least through Tuesday, March 3 with one exception, Hand said. A little storm will kick off the new month with rain on Sunday, March 1, bringing slightly cooler weather for one day.
Redding will feel like early spring again by Monday, according to the forecast, when afternoon temperatures go back up into the 70s.
How full are Lake Shasta, Trinity and Oroville reservoirs?
Rainwater-soaked soil will continue to drain into Lake Shasta and other Northern California reservoirs for a while after February’s wet winter storms, the weather service said.
At Shasta Dam north of Redding, Lake Shasta waters lapped 32 feet from the lake’s top on Feb. 24, according to California Department of Water Resources data. The lake’s water level is almost 5 feet higher than it was on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14 — before the latest rainstorms began.
The lake was 80% full and held 14% more water than it usually does on Feb. 24, the state reported.
Lake Shasta started 2026 with more water than usual after a wet December. On Jan. 1, it was 73% full, 23% more than usual on New Year’s Day.
Other Northern California reservoirs were more full than usual on Tuesday, too, the state said.
For more information about California’s water supplies, go to cdec.water.ca.gov.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica on Record Searchlight Facebook groups Get Out! Nor Cal , Today in Shasta County and Shaping Redding’s Future. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Rain in Redding sets a record. See Lake Shasta’s level now
Reporting by Jessica Skropanic, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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