California, 2009

Winter Weather in California, February 8 to 9, 2009

February 8 to 9, 2009 · NWS REV · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A fast-moving cold front brought between 1 and 2 feet of snow to the higher elevations of the central Sierra Nevada.

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.

A fast-moving cold front brought between 1 and 2 feet of snow to the higher elevations of the central Sierra Nevada.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra

When
February 8, 3:00 PM PST to February 9, 5:00 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)

Some storm-total snowfall amounts:

Graeagle (elev. 4350 ft), 5.0 inches; and |Sloat, 5.0 inches.

Winter Weather, Greater Lake Tahoe Area

When
February 8, 5:00 PM PST to February 9, 6:00 AM PST
Where
Greater Lake Tahoe Area forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
38.935, -120.458 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Some storm-total snowfall amounts:

Alpine Meadows Ski Resort, 20.0 inches; |Squaw Valley Ski Resort, 16.0 inches (elev. 8200 ft), 12 inches (elev. 6200 ft); |Prosser Creek Reservoir, 12.0 inches; |Homewood ski area, 11.0 inches; |Truckee (elev. 6500 ft), 10.0 inches; |Truckee airport, 7.0 inches; and |U.S. Coast Guard Station-Lake Tahoe (Tahoe City), 7.0 inches.

Winter Weather, Mono

When
February 8, 7:00 PM PST to February 9, 6:00 AM PST
Where
Mono forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
37.939, -118.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Some storm-total snowfall amounts:

Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort (elev. 9000 ft), 15.0 inches; |Mammoth Lakes (elev. 8150 ft), 9.0 inches; and|Mammoth Lakes Ranger Station, 6.5 inches.

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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, February 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: 150228, 155830, 155831.