Heavy Snow and High Wind in California, January 17 to 22, 2017

Name: Heavy Snow and High Wind in California, January 17 to 22, 2017
Start: 2017-01-17T14:30
End: 2017-01-22T07:00
Location: California

January 17 to 22, 2017 · NWS EKA · 20 events in 10 counties and zones

Another series of strong storms brought more flooding rains and strong coastal and ridge tops winds to the region. More rock and land slides occurred on primary and secondary highways and trees once again fell during periods of strong winds closing roads and causing power outages.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 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: $17 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 20

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.

What forecasters said that day

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 Eureka, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 17, 4:31 AM PST, 9 hours 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 17, 4:31 AM PST, 9 hours 59 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 17, 4:49 AM PST, 9 hours 41 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 high wind, 8 heavy rain, 2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Mendocino

When: January 17, 2:30 PM PST to January 18, 11:00 PM PST
Where: Mendocino County, 1.3 mi ENE of Farley
Property damage: $2.0 million
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 39.640, -123.349

Culvert failure and slipouts from mile post 16 to 23 on Highway 162.

Heavy Rain, Humboldt

When: January 17, 2:30 PM PST to January 18, 11:00 PM PST
Where: Humboldt County, 5.21 mi NE of Blue Lake
Property damage: $650,000
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 40.926, -123.901

Roadway pushup caused by landslide near mile post 19 on Highway 299.

Heavy Rain, Humboldt

When: January 17, 2:30 PM PST to January 18, 11:00 PM PST
Where: Humboldt County, 0.97 mi S of Phillipsville
Property damage: $3.0 million
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 40.206, -123.783

Two sinks in the roadway around mile post 4 on Highway 254, Avenue of the Giants.

Heavy Rain, Humboldt

When: January 17, 2:30 PM PST to January 18, 11:00 PM PST
Where: Humboldt County, 1 mi NW of Richardson Grove
Property damage: $1.5 million
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 40.030, -123.794

Failed culverts along Highway 101 between mile posts 6 and 8.

Heavy Rain, Humboldt

When: January 17, 2:30 PM PST to January 18, 11:00 PM PST
Where: Humboldt County, 3.51 mi ENE of Bridgeville
Property damage: $2.9 million
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 40.482, -123.735

Multiple slipouts and sinks along Highway 36 from mile post 3 to 44 due to heavy rain during the month of January and early February. All damage along this section of highway was compiled into one report and given a January 24th event date.

Heavy Rain, Trinity

When: January 17, 2:30 PM PST to January 18, 11:00 PM PST
Where: Trinity County, 6.51 mi ENE of Hayfork
Property damage: $750,000
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 40.579, -123.062

Undermined hill and slip-out near mile post 15 on Highway 3.

Heavy Rain, Humboldt

When: January 17, 2:30 PM PST to January 18, 11:00 PM PST
Where: Humboldt County, 7.17 mi WSW of Willow Creek
Property damage: $1.8 million
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 40.903, -123.763

Landslide and slope failure along Highway 299 near mile post 30.

Heavy Rain, Mendocino

When: January 17, 2:30 PM PST to January 18, 11:00 PM PST
Where: Mendocino County, 0.21 mi NW of Cummings
Property damage: $4.5 million
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 39.832, -123.633

Large landslide and drainage issues near mile post 87 on Highway 101. Slide reported on January 25th and was caused by the heavy rain earlier in the month.

High Wind, Del Norte Interior

When: January 18, 4:00 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
Where: Del Norte Interior forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 41.745, -123.958 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Peak wind gust at 5:57 am at Ship Mountain.

High Wind, Southwestern Humboldt

When: January 18, 8:00 AM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where: Southwestern Humboldt forecast zone
Measured: 69 kt (79 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 40.705, -123.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Peak wind gust at 09:08 am at Cooskie Mountain.

High Wind, Southern Humboldt Interior

When: January 18, 10:00 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
Where: Southern Humboldt Interior forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 40.705, -123.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Peak wind gust at 10:55 am at Kneeland.

High Wind, Northern Humboldt Interior

When: January 18, 11:00 AM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where: Northern Humboldt Interior forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 40.705, -123.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Peak wind gust at 1:01 pm at School House Peak.

Heavy Snow, Northern Trinity

When: January 19, 9:00 PM PST to January 20, 5:00 PM PST
Where: Northern Trinity forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter reported 12 inches of snow on the ground from snow the night prior in Covington Mill at an elevation of 2,500 feet.

High Wind, Southwestern Humboldt

When: January 19, 10:00 PM PST to January 20, 3:00 AM PST
Where: Southwestern Humboldt forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 40.705, -123.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Peak wind gust at 02:08 am at Cooskie Mountain.

High Wind, Southern Humboldt Interior

When: January 20, 12:00 AM PST to 4:00 AM PST
Where: Southern Humboldt Interior forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 40.705, -123.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Peak wind gust at 1:55 am at Kneeland.

Heavy Snow, Southern Trinity

When: January 21, 6:30 PM PST to January 22, 7:00 AM PST
Where: Southern Trinity forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.651, -123.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A trained spotter reported 5 inches of snow overnight with 2 feet of snow now on the ground in Zenia at 3,426 feet elevation.

High Wind, Southwestern Humboldt

When: January 21, 8:00 PM PST to January 22, 2:00 AM PST
Where: Southwestern Humboldt forecast zone
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 40.705, -123.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Peak wind gust at 11:08 pm at Cooskie Mountain.

High Wind, Southern Humboldt Interior

When: January 21, 8:00 PM PST to January 22, 2:00 AM PST
Where: Southern Humboldt Interior forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 40.705, -123.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Peak wind gust at 12:55 am at Kneeland.

High Wind, Northern Humboldt Interior

When: January 21, 9:00 PM PST to January 22, 2:00 AM PST
Where: Northern Humboldt Interior forecast zone
Measured: 74 kt (85 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 40.705, -123.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Peak wind gust at 11:01 pm at School House Peak.

High Wind, Coastal Del Norte

When: January 22, 1:45 AM PST to 2:05 AM PST
Where: Coastal Del Norte forecast zone
Measured: 64 kt (74 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 41.745, -123.958 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Peak wind gust at 2:03 am at the Crescent City Airport.

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in California, January 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 676528, 676529, 676530, 676531, 676532, 682179, 682180, 682307, 676518, 676516, 676517, 676519, 676526, 676520, 676524, 676527, 676521, 676523, 676522, 676525.