A storm from the Gulf of Alaska brought over 2 feet of mountain snow, with lighter amounts into the foothills. Severe thunderstorms developed behind a cold front on the afternoon of the 24th and produced 2 tornadoes, one touching down in El Dorado Hills, the other in Ceres.
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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 storm from the Gulf of Alaska brought over 2 feet of mountain snow, with lighter amounts into the foothills. Severe thunderstorms developed behind a cold front on the afternoon of the 24th and produced 2 tornadoes, one touching down in El Dorado Hills, the other in Ceres.
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 Dec 23, 9:45 PM PST, 2 hours 15 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sacramento CA 945 PM PST WED DEC 23 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A cold winter storm will bring rain, low-elevation snow and breezy winds tonight into Christmas Eve. This could severely impact holiday travel through the foothills and mountains. Dry weather outside of a few lingering mountain showers is expected for Christmas Day. && .DISCUSSION... Forecast looks on track and only minor changes to the evening update. Leading edge of short wave/vort max moving onshore of the ORE coast resulting in isolated storms along the ORE coast. With this feature moving into Norcal by 12z Thu...have included isold TRW in our NWrn zones from the 12z-18z Thu period as well as our current forecast of TRWs farther south in the afternoon. Satellite shows the colder air a little farther back to the W of the ORE coast which is the air mass that will be spreading over Norcal during the day on Thu. Line of showers is over the N Coast with high resolution HRRR indicating precip will begin around midnite in the Srn Cascade region of our CWA...before spreading into the I-80/US-50 corridor by around 10z-12z. The Siernev is destined to receive most of the precip...and mostly in the form of snow as snow levels will lower to relatively low levels. The freezing level should lower to 3 kft and the snow level should be about/at least 500-1000 ft below that. JHM .Previous Discussion... This storm will usher in colder air and will be quick-hitting. Moisture tap is limited so only a few hours of rain expected in the valley with totals generally a quarter to half inch or less. Liquid precipitation amounts from the foothills and mountains will range from a half inch to 2 inches. Little impact expected in the valley other than nuisance showers and slick roads due to rain. Breezy to locally gusty winds are likely in the higher elevations. Main focus is colder air wrapped into the system which will bring significant low-elevation snow and higher snow ratios. Snow levels look to be in the 2000-3000 foot range and could locally drop to around 1500 feet. Totals will range from 4 to 8 inches above 2500 feet with 1-2 feet above 4500 feet. Cannot rule out light accumulations down to 1500 feet. This will impact foothill communities including Grass Valley, Nevada City, Placerville and Camino and may cause localized power outages. Given increased holiday travel and low snow levels, winter storm warnings and advisories will continue for interior NorCal elevations above 2500 feet. Significant travel delays and chain controls will be likely. Driving conditions normally seen near pass levels will occur at much lower elevations. Those with travel plans should monitor road conditions and plan accordingly. Storm moves out on Friday with only lingering mountain showers. Additional accumulations will remain light. Elsewhere, dry weather is expected for Christmas Day into the weekend with below normal temperatures. Chilly nights expected overnight Friday into Saturday with widespread sub-freezing temperatures. && .EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Sunday THROUGH Wednesday) A relatively cold system is expected to move in either Sunday afternoon (GFS) or Sunday night through Monday (ECMWF). The models have come closer together, as the ECMWF is only 12 hrs behind the GFS instead of the 24 hrs from yesterday's model. This could bring some snow down into the foothills, but moisture and dynamics look quite limited with this system. The pattern in the wake of this trough looks unsettled and rather chaotic Tuesday into Wednesday with some threat of precipitation, remaining cool. JClapp && .AVIATION... VFR conditions for the rest of the evening at TAF sites. Light rain will begin impacting interior NorCal valley after midnight tonight. TAF sites will start seeing MVFR conditions as ceilings lower by about 12z Thursday and continue through the morning hours. Southerly winds will enhance as the front moves through. TAF sites will see winds approx 10-20 kts between 12z into Thursday evening. JBB && .STO Watches/Warnings/Advisories... Winter Storm Warning from 1 AM Thursday to 4 AM PST Friday for Motherlode-Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley-West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada-Western Plumas County/Lassen Park. Winter Weather Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Thursday for Burney Basin / Eastern Shasta County-Clear Lake/Southern Lake County-Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Northern Lake County-Shasta Lake Area / Northern Shasta County. &&
The San Francisco radar (KMUX), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:36 UTC.
5 heavy snow, 2 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
There were 16 inches of new snow measured at Sonora at 6600 feet. There were 18 to 24 inches measured at higher peaks above 8000 feet.
There was a storm total of 28.0 inches of snow measured by Caltrans at Donner Summit. This caused significant disruptions to holiday travel over the Sierra on I80 and Highway 50. Long delays were reported, with mandatory chain controls in effect.
There were 16.0 inches of snow measured at Dodge Ridge Ski Resort, 24 hour total.
There were 20.0 inches of snow measured at Kirkwood Ski Resort, 24 hour total.
There were 10.0 inches of snow measured at Sugar Bowl Ski resort at the base elevation of 6883 feet, 16.0 inches at the top elevation of 8383 feet.
Straight line winds brought down trees at Coffee Rd. and Athens Rd. A large tree with shallow roots fell on power lines and brought down 12 power poles.
A tornado touched down at Folsom Lake, and tracked eastward through El Dorado Hills, damaging business and home roofs, and knocking down fences and trees. The tornado continued eastward about 6 miles into Cameron Park, though it was not on the ground continuously. More roofs, trees, and fences were damaged in Cameron Park. No injuries were reported, though a large tree narrowly missed falling on a vehicle with a family of 4.
EFO tornado damage was confirmed in Ceres from Davis Rd. to Vinewood Dr. by a NWS damage survey team. A carport collapsed causing damage to a house. Several houses, trees and fences were damaged. The tornado was only on the ground for a brief time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for California, 2015Warnings in California, December 2015
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 611414, 611418, 611415, 611416, 611417, 611411, 605920, 611403.