Heavy Snow and High Wind in California, January 4 to 5, 2008

Name: Heavy Snow and High Wind in California, January 4 to 5, 2008
Start: 2008-01-04T12:30
End: 2008-01-05T10:00
Location: California

January 4 to 5, 2008 · NWS EKA · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

An approaching cold front generated gusty south and southeast winds throughout Humboldt and Del Norte counties on April 4, 2008. The wind caused damage and power outages throughout the region.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $2.5 million
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 EKA wrote it up.

An approaching cold front generated gusty south and southeast winds throughout Humboldt and Del Norte counties on April 4, 2008. The wind caused damage and power outages throughout the region. Snow at higher elevations affected transportation.

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 Eureka, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 4, 10:40 AM PST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 4, 10:40 AM PST, 1 hour 50 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 4, 6:13 AM PST, 6 hours 17 minutes before

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Event by event

2 heavy snow, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Redwood Coast

When: January 4, 12:30 PM PST to 8:00 PM PST
Where: Redwood Coast forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2.5 million
Reported by: ASOS

This wind event cause significant damage in Del Norte County and resulted in the declaration of a local emergency. Damage to individual structures totaled 1.32M with 2 structures destroyed and 16 structures with minor or major damage. Damage to public facilities totaled .849M.

Humboldt County escaped the brunt of this weather system and did not declare an emergency as a result of this event. One home sustained major damage and many trees were knocked down. Both Humboldt and Del Norte Counties experienced wide spread and long lasting power outages.

Heavy Snow, North Coast Interior

When: January 4, 1:00 PM PST to January 5, 10:00 AM PST
Where: North Coast Interior forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow, Upper Trinity River

When: January 4, 1:00 PM PST to January 5, 10:00 AM PST
Where: Upper Trinity River forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
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

Every storm in California in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in California, January 2008

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 79064, 79066, 79067.