A series of Pacific storms moved across interior Northern California bringing heavy snow, strong winds, and dangerous travel conditions to the mountains. Storm totals in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains measured up to 5 feet above 7000 feet, with amounts of 2 to 3 feet near 5000 feet.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS STO wrote it up.
A series of Pacific storms moved across interior Northern California bringing heavy snow, strong winds, and dangerous travel conditions to the mountains. Storm totals in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains measured up to 5 feet above 7000 feet, with amounts of 2 to 3 feet near 5000 feet.
Strong winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms impacted the Central Valley on the 19th and 20th. An all-time record low barometric pressure was set for Sacramento on the 21st. The lowest sea level pressure at Sacramento Executive Airport was 28.94 inches at 2:46 pm PST. This broke the previous record of 28.95 inches, set on January 27th at the old U.S. Weather Bureau Office in downtown Sacramento.
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 Sacramento, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 17, 4:00 PM PST, 1 hour earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA 400 PM PST SUN JAN 17 2010 .DISCUSSION (UPDATE)... 980 MB SURFACE LOW OFF THE OREGON COAST THIS AFTERNOON WITH COLD FRONT MOVING ONTO THE NORTH COAST. 10MB GRADIENT IN PLACE RDD-MFR AND WIND GUSTS OVER 35 MPH HAVE BEEN RECORDED AT RED BLUFF. WE ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL SAC VALLEY UNTIL MIDNIGHT. COLDER AIR ALOFT WILL DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE AND CAUSE WIDESPREAD RAIN ACROSS THE VALLEYS TONIGHT. EXPECT UP TO AN INCH OF RAIN IN SACRAMENTO WITH 1.5 TO 2 INCHES IN THE REDDING AREA UP TOWARD SHASTA DAM. THERE IS A LARGE MASS OF UNSTABLE AIR AND A PRECIPITABLE WATER PLUME OVER 1.2 INCHES DRIVEN BY A 100KT KT MAX READY TO MOVE INTO THE REGION OVERNIGHT. +SN HAS BEEN REPORTED IN BLUE CANYON AND CHAIN AND SNOW TIRE REQUIREMENTS ARE IN PLACE OVER I-80 AS EXPECTED. IN FACT...SNOW FELL DOWN TO 3000 FEET IN THE FOOTHILLS FROM NEAR NEVADA CITY TO DOWNIEVILLE RECENTLY. SNOW LEVELS WILL RISE BACK TO 4500 FEET OR SO OVERNIGHT. ALL WINTER STORM PRODUCTS WERE EXTENDED UNTIL TUESDAY A.M. INTRODUCED THE THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VALLEYS TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THE COLD POOL PASSES OVERHEAD WITH MODEST JET DYNAMICS. SG .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION (ISSUED AT 10 AM SUNDAY)... WARM AIR ADVECTION AHEAD OF VIGOROUS UPPER LOW PRESSURE SPREAD SOME SHOWERS ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING. THE NORTHERN SAC VALLEY GOT UP TO A HALF INCH AT SOME AUTOMATED SENSORS WHILE THE SACRAMENTO AREA GOT BETWEEN ONE AND TWO-TENTHS INCH. THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS PICKED UP OVER THREE-QUARTERS OF AN INCH...PRETTY IMPRESSIVE FROM THIS INITIAL SLUG OF MOISTURE. SNOW SHOWERS DEVELOPED ALONG I-80 BUT THEY HAVE BEEN LIGHT SO FAR. SNOW LEVELS...BEGINNING NEAR 4500 FEET WITH THE WET-BULB EFFECT...WILL RISE TO 6000-6500 FEET PER THE CHICO VERTICAL PROFILER. LASSEN PARK IS PROBABLY GETTING SOME GOOD SNOW NOW AS WELL...CHAIN AND SNOW TIRE REQUIREMENTS ARE IN PLACE ALONG HIGHWAY 36 AND 44 IN WESTERN PLUMAS COUNTY. THE UPPER LOW IS ABOUT 450 MILES WEST OF SAN FRANCISCO AND THE SURFACE LOW IS DEVELOPING NICELY NEAR 41N/135W. THE COLD FRONT IS ALONG THE COAST...SATELLITE SHOWS GOOD DIFFLUENCE ALOFT AS A 100KT JET STREAK WILL SHIFT OVER NORCAL TONIGHT AND INCREASE PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION. TODAY IS LIKELY TO BE MORE SHOWERY UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON SO WILL MAKE SOME MINOR UPDATES TO THE FORECAST PACKAGE. KDAX PROFILER SHOWS 25KTS OF WIND 1-2K OFF THE SURFACE AND EXPECT WINDS TO INCREASE TODAY AS A 7MB GRADIENT IS IN PLACE KSAC-KMFR. A PRECIPITABLE WATER PLUME 175% ABOVE NORMAL (1.1 INCHES) SHIFTS OVER THE REGION TONIGHT. CONVECTION IS ALSO NOTED OFF THE CENTRAL CA COAST NEAR KMRY. HPC/RFC ESTIMATES 2 TO 4 INCHES OF LIQUID WILL FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS BY 12Z TUESDAY WITH 1 TO 2 INCHES IN THE VALLEYS. THE GFS HAS AN EXCELLENT 300MB-700MB CONVERGENCE/DIVERGENCE COUPLET IN PLACE 18Z MON...ADDITIONALLY THE LOW LEVEL JET SHIFTS FROM WSW (EXCELLENT OROGRAPHICS IN THE SIERRA TONIGHT) TO SOUTHERLY MONDAY AND INCREASES TO 60KTS AS THE NEGATIVE TILT SHORTWAVE SWINGS THROUGH THE REGION MONDAY. FORECAST APPEARS TO BE ON TRACK...AND WE WILL FURTHER ANALYZE OUR WINTER STORM PRODUCTS WITH THE AFTERNOON PACKAGE. SG .EXTENDED DISCUSSION (THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)... UNSETTLED WEATHER CONTINUES IN THE EXTENDED FORECAST. AFTER A GOOD SOAKING ON WEDNESDAY...ANOTHER STORM WAVE ARRIVES THURSDAY BRINGING ADDITIONAL RAIN AND SNOW. LIQUID PRECIPITATION TOTALS COULD RANGE A QUARTER INCH TO INCH FOR THE VALLEY WITH AN INCH OR MORE ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN. PROBABILITY OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL DIMINISH A BIT LATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS WEAKER WAVES MOVE INLAND. NEXT DECENT STORM COULD MOVE INTO THE WEST COAST SUNDAY OR MONDAY. SNOW LEVELS WILL GENERALLY RANGE 3000-4000 FEET NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 AND 3500-5000 FEET SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE. AS THIS WEEK WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION TOTALS PLUS WINDY CONDITIONS...RESIDENTS ARE ADVISED TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT POSSIBLE MUDSLIDES AND DEBRIS FLOWS COUPLED WITH DOWNED TREES AND BRANCHES WHICH COULD CAUSE POWER OUTAGES. JBB && .AVIATION DISCUSSION... FLUCTUATING CIGS/VSBYS FOR THE NEXT 24 HRS AS WIDESPREAD SHOWERS BECOME MORE ISOLD TONIGHT BEFORE INCREASING AGAIN MON MORNING WITH MVFR/IFR CONDS. POOREST CONDS DURING SHOWERS WITH CIGS BETWEEN 800-1200 FT AGL AND VSBYS AT 1-3 SM IN CENTRAL VALLEY. FOOTHILL AND MTN CIGS RANGING SFC-500 FT AGL AND VSBYS 0-2 SM. SE 8-12 KTS THIS AFTN IN VALLEY SOUTHWARD OF KMYV WHILE NORTHWARD OF KCIC AND CORNING SSE 15-25 G25-35 KTS. WINDS STABILIZING TONIGHT THEN INCREASING FURTHER LATE SUN MORN TO 20-25 G30-40 KTS. EXPECT STRONGER WINDS OVER THE MTNS. JMC && .STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST TUESDAY FOR BURNEY BASIN / EASTERN SHASTA COUNTY-WEST SLOPE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA-WESTERN PLUMAS COUNTY/LASSEN PARK. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT PST TONIGHT FOR CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY-NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST TUESDAY FOR MOUNTAINS SOUTHWESTERN SHASTA COUNTY TO NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY-SHASTA LAKE AREA / NORTHERN SHASTA COUNTY. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA 700 AM PST SUN JAN 17 2010 CAZ013>019-063-064-066>069-181500- SHASTA LAKE AREA/NORTHERN SHASTA COUNTY- BURNEY BASIN/EASTERN SHASTA COUNTY-NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY- CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY-SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY- CARQUINEZ STRAIT AND DELTA-NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- MOUNTAINS SOUTHWESTERN SHASTA TO NORTHERN LAKE COUNTIES- CLEAR LAKE/SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY-MOTHERLODE- EAST FOOTHILLS/NORTH SACRAMENTO VALLEY- WESTERN PLUMAS COUNTY/LASSEN PARK-WEST SLOPE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA- 700 AM PST SUN JAN 17 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND HEAVIER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE AS THE FIRST WET SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE AREA. * WINTER STORM WARNING.......SEE WWUS46 KSTO - WSWSTO FOR DETAILS * * WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY....SEE WWUS46 KSTO - WSWSTO FOR DETAILS * * SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT..SEE WWUS86 KSTO - SPSSTO FOR DETAILS * .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A SERIES OF SYSTEMS WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION AND PERIODS OF STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE AREA THROUGH THE WEEK. SEE STATEMENTS BELOW FOR DETAILS. * WINTER STORM WARNING.......SEE WWUS46 KSTO - WSWSTO FOR DETAILS * * SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT..SEE WWUS86 KSTO - SPSSTO FOR DETAILS * .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THEIR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT (LOWER CASE): HTTP://WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/STO
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA 405 PM PST SUN JAN 17 2010 CAZ013>019-063-064-066>069-190015- SHASTA LAKE AREA / NORTHERN SHASTA COUNTY- BURNEY BASIN / EASTERN SHASTA COUNTY-NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY- CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY-SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY- CARQUINEZ STRAIT AND DELTA-NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- MOUNTAINS SOUTHWESTERN SHASTA COUNTY TO NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY- CLEAR LAKE/SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY- NORTHEAST FOOTHILLS/SACRAMENTO VALLEY-MOTHERLODE- WESTERN PLUMAS COUNTY/LASSEN PARK- WEST SLOPE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA- 405 PM PST SUN JAN 17 2010 ...A VERY WET AND WINDY WEEK AHEAD FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA... A VERY STRONG JET STREAM IS MAKING ITS WAY ACROSS THE PACIFIC AND WILL RESULT IN WET AND WINDY WEATHER ACROSS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. PERIODS OF SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR INTO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BE HEAVY AT TIMES THIS TONIGHT AND MONDAY WITH THIS FIRST SYSTEM. THIS STORM WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT RAIN TO THE VALLEY AND HEAVY SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS. MODERATE TO STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING AND ON MONDAY. ADDITIONAL STORMS WILL BRING MORE PRECIPITATION AND PERIODS OF STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS THROUGH FRIDAY. THE STRONGEST STORM THIS WEEK IS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY. CONSIDERABLE RAIN IN THE VALLEY AND SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS ALONG WITH STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. SNOW LEVELS AROUND 3500 TO 5000 FEET TONIGHT. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER LATER IN THE WEEK...MAYBE EXTENDING INTO THE UPPER FOOTHILLS. RAINFALL TOTALS BY NEXT SATURDAY COULD REACH 3 TO 6 INCHES IN THE VALLEY WITH 5 TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN FOR THE FOOTHILLS AND WESTERN SLOPES...WITH THE HIGHER TOTALS EXPECTED FOR SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES. FARTHER NORTH 10 TO 15 INCHES OF RAINFALL MAY FALL OVER SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES AROUND THE FEATHER RIVER CANYON AND OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN SHASTA COUNTY. SIGNIFICANT SNOW IS LIKELY IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH SEVERAL FEET OF SNOW AROUND THE 5000 FOOT ELEVATION...AND 10 FEET OR MORE OVER THE HIGHER SIERRA NEVADA BY NEXT SATURDAY. THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND VERY WINDY CONDITIONS WILL IMPACT TRAVEL INTO THE HIGH COUNTRY. BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK EXPECT SMALL RIVERS AND STREAMS IN THE FOOTHILLS TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT RISES WITH SWIFTLY MOVING WATER. MINOR FLOODING CONCERNS MAY DEVELOP DURING THE MIDDLE TO LATTER PART OF NEXT WEEK FOR SOME SMALL RIVERS AND CREEKS AS WELL AS FOR LOW LYING AREAS. THOSE WITH TRAVEL OR OUTDOOR PLANS TODAY INTO NEXT WEEK SHOULD CONTINUE TO CHECK WEATHER.GOV/SACRAMENTO OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
The Sacramento radar (KDAX), 30 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:45 UTC.
10 winter storm, 3 high wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Snow amounts up to a foot were reported above 5000 feet, with 10 inches of new snow measured at Mineral. The heavy snow and gusty winds resulted in hazardous travel.
Snow amounts up to 2 feet were reported at area ski resorts. The heavy snow and gusty winds resulted in hazardous travel.
Snow amounts up to 10 inches were reported. The heavy snow and gusty winds resulted in hazardous travel.
Five to eight inches of snow fell at the higher elevations including six inches at Shasta City and two inches in the foothills north of Redding.
Five to ten inches of snow fell at the highest elevations including five inches in Burney. Strong winds to 40 mph resulted in periods of blowing snow and poor visibility on area roads.
Snow amounts of 1 to 3 feet were reported above 5000 feet at northern Sierra Nevada mountain ski resorts and SNOTEL sites. Fourteen inches was measured at Blue Canyon and 33 inches was measured at Soda Springs. A wind gust to 45 mph was reported at Blue Canyon. The heavy snow and gusty wind resulted in hazardous travel over mountain roads and passes.
Penny sized hail covered the ground to 2 inches deep, resulting in numerous car accidents.
Up to another foot of snow fell across the area less than a day following the previous storm. Winds were not as strong but roadways warmed slightly between the storms and became icy before the latest layer of snow. This resulted in even more treacherous driving conditions.
Six to ten inches of new snow fell across the highest elevations less than a day following the previous storm. Winds were not as strong but roadways warmed slightly between the storms and became icy before the latest layer of snow... resulting in treacherous driving conditions.
Wind gusts to 57 mph and sustained winds to 44 mph were measured at Stockton Airport. The wind knocked out power to 14000 customers in the area.
Wind gusts up to 60 mph were measured at Sacramento International Airport. Power was knocked out to 27000 customers in the Sacramento metropolitan area.
Wind gusts to 60 mph were measured at Oroville Airport.
Snow amounts of 7 to 10 inches were reported. The heavy snow and gusty winds resulted in hazardous travel.
Snowfall amounts up to a foot were reported above 5000 feet in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains from spotters and at area ski resorts. A spotter at Kirkwood measured 12 inches of new snow and 15 inches was measured at Soda Springs. The heavy snow and gusty winds resulted in hazardous travel over mountain roads and passes.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2010
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: 210711, 212823, 212828, 246326, 246324, 210712, 212353, 246327, 246328, 212890, 212354, 212357, 212377, 212830.