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A spectacular supermoon and the first meteor shower of the new year will soon appear in the California night sky.

The supermoon will be the fourth massive moon in a row to rise above the Golden State. It will look both larger and brighter to local stargazers.

Here’s how to observe some of the most stunning celestial sights this January.

How to see Quadrantid meteor shower

The first meteor shower of 2026 will peak overnight from Friday, Jan. 2, to Saturday, Jan. 3.

The Quadrantids are usually a prolific stream of shooting stars. But this year the shower will be dulled by the supermoon.

“Activity will be severely compromised in 2026 as a full moon occurs on Jan. 3,” the American Meteor Society said. “The bright moonlight will obscure all but the brightest meteors.”

However, skywatchers should still be able to view up to 10 meteors per hour under clear and cloudless conditions, according to National Geographic.

According to NASA, the Quadrantids are comprised of bright fireball meteors that have long streaks of exploding light and color.

National Geographic recommended seeking out shooting stars in the pre-dawn hours when the shower’s radiant will appear high in the sky, near the Big Dipper constellation.

When to watch January supermoon in California

The first full moon of 2026 will reach peak illumination at 2:02 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, according to online calendar Time and Date.

The January wolf moon will look larger than typical because the full moon is happening at perigee — the point when the moon is at its closest to Earth, National Geographic said.

“Catch a dramatic supermoon during the first weekend of the year,” National Geographic said. “The spectacle ... can make the orb appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than usual.”

Californians can get the best glimpse of the larger-than-usual full moon at sunset or sunrise, when the moon will appear supersized near the horizon, according to National Geographic.

How did wolf moon get its name?

The January full moon is called the wolf moon because the animals are often heard howling at this time of year, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

“Howling and other wolf vocalizations are heard in the wintertime to locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, define territory, and coordinate hunting,” the almanac said on its website.

Other names for the full moon in January include the center moon, since the moon is roughly in the middle of the cold season, as well as the frost exploding moon, the cold moon and the severe moon, according to Farmers’ Almanac.

How to observe a giant Jupiter

The best sighting of Jupiter in 2026 will take place on the nights of Friday, Jan. 9, and Saturday, Jan. 10.

On these winter evenings, the gas giant will be at opposition — the point when Earth will sit in between the fifth planet and the sun.

At this positioning, Jupiter will look larger and more luminous in the night sky, National Geographic said.

The next time the planet will be this close to earth won’t be until 2027, according to the publication.

“Find it in the east around sunset, near the Gemini constellation,” National Geographic said. “It forms a pyramid with Sirius and Orion’s belt.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Northern California will experience another foggy morning on Tuesday ahead of a stretch of wet weather that will last into the new year.

Commuters on Monday morning woke up to dense fog affecting visibility across Northern California.

The National Weather Service issued a Dense Fog Advisory for parts of the Sacramento region and the Central Valley until 12 p.m. Drivers are recommended they drive more slowly and expect poor visibility on the highways.

Meteorologist Tamara Berg said similar to Monday, the fog will clear by the afternoon and be replaced by clouds.

New Year's Eve rain

Chances of rain on Wednesday increase by the afternoon. Berg said amounts will be light, but people ringing in 2026 will likely see wet conditions.

Those looking to go outside Thursday are also likely to experience rain. More rain showers are possible Friday and through the weekend.

The KCRA 3 weather team is issuing Impact Days for both Thursday and Friday because of how rainy conditions could affect travel and outdoor activities.

Below are the forecast amounts of Valley rain from Wednesday through Sunday:

Snow

Snow levels begin above 9,000 feet on Wednesday, leaving much of the Foothills and lower Sierra elevations undisturbed by snow impacts. But by Friday, snow levels will drop to the 7,000-foot elevation.

When enough snow falls on the roads, chain controls could be put into effect. When that happens, vehicles without four-wheel drive or snow tires are required to install chains on their tires.

The speed limit on Interstate 80 is also reduced to 30 mph, while it also reduces to 25 mph on Highway 50.

Berg said by Sunday, snow levels could continue to drop to elevations above 5,000 feet.

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LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA - A preliminary 2.3 magnitude quake was recorded close to Baldwin Hills Monday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tremor struck the region at 7:57 a.m. It occurred at a depth of 4 miles with the epicenter situated approximately 2 miles south-southwest of Baldwin Hills.

Did you feel it?

If you noticed the earthquake, you can share your experience using the USGS Felt Report form. So far, the agency has collected 236 online responses from individuals saying that they experienced the quake. Weak shaking was observed in and around the Los Angeles area, where several residents reported feeling the tremor, according to the USGS DYFI report.

Did you document the impact?

If you have images illustrating the aftermath of the quake, we invite you to submit them to us at sacbee.com/customer-service/submit-photo.

Quakes past week

Over the last week, there have been three earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or above centered nearby. The biggest, a 2.7 magnitude quake, shook near Valencia two days earlier.

The three largest earthquakes nearby in the last week:

What to know about earthquakes

Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U. S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale. Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech. Earthquakes below 2.5 magnitude are seldom felt by most people.

Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. They can happen anywhere, but are most common in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year. 100,000 of those can be felt, and 100 of them cause damage.

What to do during an earthquake

If an earthquake strikes, it's best to protect yourself right away. Here are tips from experts:

If you're in a car: Pull over and stop. Set your parking brake.

If you're in bed: Turn face-down and cover your head with a pillow.

If you're outdoors: Stay away from buildings. Don't go inside.

If you're inside: Stay and don't run outdoors. Stay away from doorways.

The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say. "Wherever you are, drop down to your hands and knees and hold onto something sturdy," officials say. "If you're using a wheelchair or walker with a seat, make sure your wheels are locked and remain seated until the shaking stops." Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible. If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows. Once under a table, officials say you should hold on with one hand and be ready to move with it.

"There can be serious hazards after an earthquake, such as damage to the building, leaking gas and water lines, or downed power lines," officials say. "Expect aftershocks to follow the main shock of an earthquake. Be ready to Drop, Cover, and Hold On if you feel an aftershock."

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey

United Robots California

Spending the New Year’s holidays in Sacramento? Whether you’re planning to party on New Year’s Eve or stay home, The Bee has you covered on what to know.

Weather

It’s looking like Sacramento will see rain as 2025 ends and 2026 begins.

New Year’s Eve is likely to be rainy in the afternoon and evening, with a steady temperature around 48 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. New Year’s Day will see continued rain, with a high temperature near 54 degrees.

Celebrations, fireworks and activities on New Year’s Eve

Calling everyone who doesn’t want to stay up until midnight: Old Sacramento is hosting a free fireworks show at 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, also featuring live music and activities.

If you’re a fan of Netflix’s show “Stranger Things,” the finale is airing in theaters around Sacramento. Here’s what to know about showtimes and where to watch.

Shopping and store hours

If you’re looking to elevate your wine and champagne selection for New Year’s Eve (or for 2026 overall), The Bee’s food and drink reporter Sean Timberlake recommended some local options.

Celebrate festively, drink locally with these Sacramento-area sparkling wines

Need a last-minute bottle of bubbly or funky glasses that say 2026? Here’s what stores are open in the Sacramento area on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Hours vary by location — call ahead before heading out.

Trash pickup

If you’re deep cleaning your house to start the new year, you might fill up your garbage cans. Here’s what to know about trash pickup on Thursday, Jan. 1.

Changes are coming to tortillas in California in the new year, with a new law requiring manufacturers to add folic acid to corn masa products. The goal is to decrease birth defects in children born to Hispanic women.

Research shows folic acid promotes new cell growth and can reduce birth defects by up to 70%.

A 1998 U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandate required folic acid to be added to certain enriched grains, such as pasta and rice, but not to corn masa products.

Since then, Latina women have not seen any decrease in their babies being born with neural tube defects in their brains and spinal cords, which is why lawmakers are targeting tortillas.

"I really was in shock because we grow with these kinds of tortillas since generations, and we never have any problems. We have healthy kids," said Dora Sanz, who is the owner of 3 Hermanas in east Sacramento.

The tortillas she is serving customers come from manufacturers, but her family has been making them from scratch for generations.

"So like, do we really need to put these in the tortillas?" said Sanz.

Sana Jaffery is the legislative director for Fresno Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, who authored the bill. She said it costs four pennies to fortify a metric ton of corn masa, but hundreds of dollars for supplements where you get the same vitamins.

Jaffery said lawmakers have briefly looked into making supplements more affordable, but it is a separate issue.

"It's not only Latinos who eat tortillas, but everybody around the world also eats tortillas," said Sanz.

Mom-and-pop shops will be exempt from this change, but big manufacturers in California will need to start adding folic acid to tortillas beginning January 1.

Mission Foods has already been doing this for years.

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