ALL RIGHT. AMELIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH. PEOPLE IN THE VALLEY ARE DRIVING TO THE FOOTHILLS TO ESCAPE THE GLOOMY SKIES. KCRA 3’S CORTEZ IS LIVE IN PLACERVILLE TONIGHT. SO HOW IS IT UP THERE TODAY? WELL, GUYS, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. I MEAN, ONCE WE ARRIVED, ME AND MY PHOTOG, MATT HARDIN, I MEAN, WE TOOK OFF OUR JACKETS BECAUSE IT WAS MUCH WARMER UP HERE AND WE DIDN’T ANTICIPATE TO SPEAK TO AS MANY VALLEY RESIDENTS AS WE DID. BUT A LOT OF THEM TRYING TO GET OUT OF THAT COLD AIR, A LOT OF THEM CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS AS WELL, AND ALMOST ON. EVERYONE ON TOP OF THEIR LIST. MORE SUNSHINE. YOU KNOW, IT’S BEEN VERY FOGGY. I HAVEN’T BEEN IN THE SUN FOR THREE WEEKS. IF THE SUN HAD A CALENDAR, IT HASN’T CHECKED IN ON THE VALLEY LATELY. AFTER WEEKS MOSTLY STUCK IN AN INVERSION AND BLANKET OF GRAY, MISERABLE. THAT’S WHY WE DON’T LIVE IN SEATTLE. SACRAMENTO RESIDENTS DECIDED THE BEST WAY TO WARM UP. I ENJOY IT FOR ABOUT THE FIRST WEEK. AFTER THE THIRD WEEK. NO, IT’S TIME FOR SOME SUN. WHAT’S THE DRIVE UP EAST AND HEAD UP IN ELEVATION. IT’S TOO BRIGHT AND WE HAVEN’T SEEN THE SUN IN FOLSOM IN THREE WEEKS. SO HERE WE ARE IN PLACERVILLE BECAUSE THE SUN IS OUT AND IT’S GORGEOUS. PEOPLE TRADING THE GRAY SKIES FOR BLUE ONES. ALL RIGHT. DO YOU GUYS WANT A BAG? T.W. BONKERS TOY STORE A LITTLE SUNSHINE TURNING INTO SOME NOTICEABLE BOOST IN CUSTOMERS. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING UP HERE AND JUST WE’RE SEEING A BUNCH OF NEW FACES AND A BUNCH OF REGULAR FACES THAT DO COME UP FROM FROM THE BAY OR ALSO FROM THE CENTRAL AREA, FROM SACRAMENTO NEW FACES OWNER TONY WENDELL SAYS IS THANKS TO THE WEATHER AS CUSTOMERS SEARCH FOR TOYS. I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY YOUR TIME WITH SOME SUN AND WARMER TEMPERATURES. AFTERNOON USUALLY LIKE RIGHT AROUND 2:00 TO 5:00 OR SO. THAT’S WHEN WE’RE SEEING THE MOST PEOPLE COMING UP HERE. WE’RE KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE. LIKE YOU SAID, LITTLE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, BUT A LOT OF SUNSHINE. WE’RE JUST KIND OF SITTING RIGHT HERE IN GOLD COUNTRY, WHICH WAS. AND RIGHT NOW IT IS VERY GOLD FROM PLACERVILLE TO THE VALLEY, PEOPLE ARE MAKING IT CLEAR WHAT’S AT THE TOP OF THEIR HOLIDAY WISH LIST. SOME SUNSHINE AND RANCHO MURIETA SOON. SUNSHINE. YEAH. JUST BRING US A LITTLE BIT OF SUN. I SUPPOSE THE KINGS TO DO BETTER. NOT BAD. A LITTLE BIT MORE SUN. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THAT WISH LIST, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE KEEPING THEIR FINGERS CROSSED THAT WARMER TEMPS CAN MAKE IT MAKE THEIR WAY INTO THE VALLEY IN PLACERVILLE.
Sacramento residents escaping valley fog by seeking sunshine in the foothills
Residents of Sacramento are willing to travel to Placerville to find sunshine and warmth, boosting local businesses amid persistent fog.
Updated: 10:03 PM PST Dec 14, 2025
Sacramento residents, weary of weeks under a foggy inversion, are traveling to Placerville in search of sunshine and warmer temperatures. Rich Dubey, who lives in Rancho Murieta, described the situation as “miserable, that’s why we don’t live in Seattle.”John Hess from Elk Grove shared his experience, saying, “I enjoyed it for about the first week. Except the third week, no.”Laurie and Jeff from Folsom said, “We haven’t seen the sun in Folsom in three weeks. So here we are in Placerville, because the sun is out and it’s gorgeous.”The influx of visitors has been noticeable at local businesses like T.W. Bonkers Toy & Candy Emporium.Owner Tony Windle said, “So many people are coming up here and just. We’re seeing a bunch of new faces and a bunch of regular faces that do come up from the bay or also from the central area, from Sacramento. Afternoon usually like right around 2:00 to 5:00 or so. That’s when we’re seeing the most people coming up here.” “We’re killing two birds with one stone, like you said, a little Christmas shopping, but a lot of sunshine,” Scheel said.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
PLACERVILLE, Calif. —
Sacramento residents, weary of weeks under a foggy inversion, are traveling to Placerville in search of sunshine and warmer temperatures. Rich Dubey, who lives in Rancho Murieta, described the situation as “miserable, that’s why we don’t live in Seattle.”
John Hess from Elk Grove shared his experience, saying, “I enjoyed it for about the first week. Except the third week, no.”
Laurie and Jeff from Folsom said, “We haven’t seen the sun in Folsom in three weeks. So here we are in Placerville, because the sun is out and it’s gorgeous.”
The influx of visitors has been noticeable at local businesses like T.W. Bonkers Toy & Candy Emporium.
Owner Tony Windle said, “So many people are coming up here and just. We’re seeing a bunch of new faces and a bunch of regular faces that do come up from the bay or also from the central area, from Sacramento. Afternoon usually like right around 2:00 to 5:00 or so. That’s when we’re seeing the most people coming up here.”
“We’re killing two birds with one stone, like you said, a little Christmas shopping, but a lot of sunshine,” Scheel said.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel