Winter Storm in California, January 6 to 11, 2005

A long snow event that technically could have been classified as two separate storm systems. However, to the public it was one long stretch of weather. In the Coastal Mountains, total snowfall accumulations were one to two feet above 2000 feet with wind gusts up to 50 mph. In the Northern Mountains, total snowfall accumulations were up to a foot near Shasta Lake, one to three feet above 2000 feet, and wind gusts up to 60 mph. Up to six inches of snow fell in the mountains north of Redding. In the Sierra Nevada Mountains, total snowfall accumulations were three to nine inches near 2000 feet, twelve to eighteen inches near 3000 feet, two to four feet above 5000 feet, and greater than four feet in the highest elevations. Wind gusts in the Sierra were up to 50 mph at 5000 feet and up to 70 mph at higher elevations. All mountains passes in the Coastal, Northern, and Sierra Nevada Mountains were closed for some period of time during this event.