California, 2016Heavy Snow and High Wind in California, January 29 to 31, 2016
January 29 to 31, 2016 · NWS VEF · 5 events in 4 counties and zones
A strong Pacific storm system brought high winds to the Owens Valley and Mojave Desert, high winds and severe thunderstorms to the Mojave Desert, and heavy snow to the southern Great Basin. The episode continued into February.
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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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $15,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 5
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.
A strong Pacific storm system brought high winds to the Owens Valley and Mojave Desert, high winds and severe thunderstorms to the Mojave Desert, and heavy snow to the southern Great Basin. The episode continued into February.
Heavy Snow, Eastern Sierra Slopes of Inyo County
- When
- January 29, 6:00 PM PST to January 31, 3:00 PM PST
- Where
- Eastern Sierra Slopes of Inyo County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 36.511, -117.411 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Twenty four inches of snow fell at Aspendell.
High Wind, Owens Valley
- When
- January 29, 11:42 PM PST to January 30, 4:42 AM PST
- Where
- Owens Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 71 kt (82 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $15,000
- Reported by
- Mesonet
The peak gust was measured 5 miles NW of Independence at 0342 PST. A big rig was blown over on Highway 395 8 miles SSE of Big Pine at 0154 PST, blocking both lanes of the highway.
High Wind, Western Mojave Desert
- When
- January 30, 12:55 PM PST to 4:55 PM PST
- Where
- Western Mojave Desert forecast zone
- Measured
- 77 kt (89 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The high winds occurred at Bicycle Lake on Fort Irwin, and the peak gust was measured at 1355 PST.
Heavy Snow, Owens Valley
- When
- January 31, 7:00 AM PST to 6:00 PM PST
- Where
- Owens Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- CoCoRaHS
Eight and a half inches of snow fell at Big Pine.
High Wind, Morongo Basin
- When
- January 31, 6:09 PM PST
- Where
- Morongo Basin forecast zone
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
This gust occurred at Twentynine Palms.
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Winter Storm and Avalanche in Utah, January 29 to 31, 20161 death · 2 injured · 13 events
- High Wind in Wyoming, January 29 to 30, 201668 kt wind · 30 events
- Winter Storm in Wyoming, January 29 to 30, 20169 events
- Frost and Freeze in Texas, January 29, 20163 events
- Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 29, 20162 events
- Winter Weather in Nevada, January 29, 20162 events
- High Wind in Nevada, January 29, 201678 kt wind · 2 events
- Heavy Snow in Nevada, January 29 to 30, 20162 events
- Winter Weather in Virginia, January 29, 20161 event
- Avalanche in Oregon, January 29, 20161 event
- Wildfire in Texas, January 29 to 30, 2016$2,000 · 1 event
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: 611777, 611774, 611775, 611778, 611779.