California, 2017

Winter Weather in California, December 20, 2017

December 20, 2017 · NWS EKA · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

A cold upper trough moved south across northern California and aided in high elevation snow, as well as small hail across the coast.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

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 EKA wrote it up.

A cold upper trough moved south across northern California and aided in high elevation snow, as well as small hail across the coast.

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, Northern Humboldt Interior

When
December 20, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Northern Humboldt Interior forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
40.705, -123.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow on Wiregrass Ridge. Around 1 inch at 3000 feet, and 2 to 3 inches at 3300 feet. Location estimated. Report from social media.

Winter Weather, Southern Humboldt Interior

When
December 20, 8:00 AM PST to 9:00 AM PST
Where
Southern Humboldt Interior forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
40.705, -123.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Estimated 4 inches of snow reported at an elevation of 2900 feet near Dinsmore, CA. Report taken from social media.

Winter Weather, Southern Humboldt Interior

When
December 20, 10:00 AM PST
Where
Southern Humboldt Interior forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
40.705, -123.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Estimated 2 inches of snow reported at Kneeland airport. Time estimated.

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 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2017

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: 730619, 730617, 730618.