What a sight for Sacramento. Pacific storms can bring exciting weather to Sacramento but usually in the form of strong winds that blow pounding rains about all night long, causing damage usually in the form of flooding and large trees downed. Pacific storms can pack quite a punch but are seldom tornadic. I used to look forward to the winter gales when I lived there 11 years ago, although much of the cloud structure is stratiform and fog can form, sometimes lasting for days, between systems.
I don't miss the fog one bit but it is especially fun to see the waves of the "Lost Coast" (north from San Fran to the Oregon state line) get whipped into a fury on the craggy headlands. It's funny how the gales play with the sound of the foghorns too, causing the sound to oscillate. A good Pacific storm thrashing on the landscape is a sight to behold. Fortunately, unlike the California funnel or two, the gales are quite common in the wintertime and are often welcomed for the excitement.
