California, 2009

Heavy Snow in California, December 29 to 30, 2009

December 29 to 30, 2009 · NWS MFR · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A wet pacific storm swept in this day and brought heavy precipitation to northern California. so most of the populated areas got only rain.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 MFR wrote it up.

A wet pacific storm swept in this day and brought heavy precipitation to northern California. The snow level was quite high...in the 4000-5000 foot range...so most of the populated areas got only rain.

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 Medford, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 29, 8:55 AM PST, 3 hours 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 29, 8:55 AM PST, 3 hours 15 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 29, 10:49 AM PST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, South Central Siskiyou County

When
December 29, 12:10 PM PST to December 30, 12:10 AM PST
Where
South Central Siskiyou County forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
41.593, -122.540 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The CALTRANS sensor at Snowman Summit (Elevation 4478 ft) reported 0.99 inches of precipitation in 12 hours. Temperatures during this interval ranged from 25 to 27 degrees.

Heavy Snow, North Central & Southeast Siskiyou County

When
December 29, 12:10 PM PST to December 30, 12:10 AM PST
Where
North Central & Southeast Siskiyou County forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
41.593, -122.540 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Based on a report at nearby Snowman Summit in CAZ082, it is assumed that warning criteria was met in CAZ083 as well. The CALTRANS sensor at Snowman Summit (Elevation 4478 ft) reported 0.99 inches of precipitation in 12 hours. Temperatures during this interval ranged from 25 to 27 degrees.

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 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2009

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 201496, 201498.