California, 2002Heavy Snow in California, April 15, 2002
April 15, 2002 · NWS REV · 1 event in 1 county or zone
A heavy snow shower, creating low visibilityand a slick roadway, caused a 21 vehicle pile-up on Intertstate 80 about 5 miles east of Truckee, CA. Several trucks were involved in the accident with at least one semi trailer destroyed.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
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- Wind
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 4
- Property damage
- $500,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
A heavy snow shower, creating low visibilityand a slick roadway, caused a 21 vehicle pile-up on Intertstate 80 about 5 miles east of Truckee, CA. Several trucks were involved in the accident with at least one semi trailer destroyed.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Reno, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 15, 1:30 AM PST, 5 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 15, 1:30 AM PST, 5 hours 30 minutes before
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</html>Heavy Snow, Greater Lake Tahoe Area
- When
- April 15, 7:00 AM PST to 8:00 AM PST
- Where
- Greater Lake Tahoe Area forecast zone
- Injuries
- 4 direct, 0 indirect
- Property damage
- $500,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.935, -120.458 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
- 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.
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, April 15 to 16, 20022 deaths · $10,000 · 6 events
- High Wind in Utah, April 15, 200210 injured · $2.1 million · 75 kt wind · 17 events
- Heat in Wisconsin, April 15 to 18, 20021 death · 20 events
- High Wind in Nevada, April 15, 20024 injured · $500,000 · 62 kt wind · 1 event
- Flash Flood and Hail in Pennsylvania, April 15, 2002$315,000 · 1 in hail · 7 events
- High Wind in California, April 15, 2002$300,000 · 4 events
- High Wind in Nevada, April 15, 2002$300,000 · 72 kt wind · 1 event
- Hail in Ohio, April 15, 2002$145,000 · 1.75 in hail · 8 events
- High Wind in Nevada, April 15, 20021 injured · $100,000 · 55 kt wind · 1 event
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Pennsylvania, April 15, 2002$65,000 · 1 in hail · 17 events
- High Wind in Arizona, April 15, 2002$100,000 · 54 kt wind · 1 event
- High Wind in Arizona, April 15, 2002$50,000 · 55 kt wind · 1 event
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5289622.