A period of heavy snow caused travel problems in the Sierra. The heaviest snow was mainly over Interstate 80, where heavy convective snow showers occurred.
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 period of heavy snow caused travel problems in the Sierra. The heaviest snow was mainly over Interstate 80, where heavy convective snow showers occurred. Snow amounts of 4 to 10 inches were measured above 4500 feet. |Thunderstorms locally brought large amounts of small hail, covering roads in Glenn and Nevada counties.
2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
There was 9.5 inches of new snow measured at Kingvale, 24 hour total.
Significant traffic delays occurred on Interstate 80 when a period of heavy snow caused several big rigs to slide and block Donner Pass, with long traffic backups resulting. Many cars were ill prepared for winter driving conditions and multiple car accidents were reported. CHP reported that 1000 cars needed to be turned around due to no chains or studded tires.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in California, February 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 564695, 564693.