California, 2001

Heavy Snow in California, December 16 to 17, 2001

December 16 to 17, 2001 · NWS REV · 3 events in 1 county or zone

There were several reports of heavy snow in a 12 hour period. In Westwood 6 inches fell at 5500 feet and in Graeagle 6 inches fell at 4300 feet.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS REV wrote it up.

There were several reports of heavy snow in a 12 hour period. In Westwood 6 inches fell at 5500 feet and in Graeagle 6 inches fell at 4300 feet. The California Department of Transportation reported 12 inches at Yuba Pass (elevation 6780 feet).

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra

When
December 16, 10:30 PM PST to December 17, 10:30 AM PST
Where
Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
40.086, -120.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra

When
December 16, 10:50 PM PST to December 17, 10:50 AM PST
Where
Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
40.086, -120.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra

When
December 17, 12:20 AM PST to 12:20 PM PST
Where
Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra forecast zone
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
40.086, -120.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2001

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5275747, 5275748, 5275749.