Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in California, January 18 to 20, 2017

Name: Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in California, January 18 to 20, 2017
Start: 2017-01-18T08:00
End: 2017-01-20T08:00
Location: California

January 18 to 20, 2017 · NWS HNX · 7 events in 3 counties and zones

Cold low pressure system moved into central California bringing heavy snowfall to parts of the Sierra Nevada and the Sierra Foothills along with wintry weather in the Kern County Mountains.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 HNX wrote it up.

Cold low pressure system moved into central California bringing heavy snowfall to parts of the Sierra Nevada and the Sierra Foothills along with wintry weather in the Kern County Mountains.

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 Hanford, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 18, 5:13 AM PST, 2 hours 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 18, 5:13 AM PST, 2 hours 47 minutes before

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Event by event

6 heavy snow, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Tulare Cty Mtns

When: January 18, 8:00 AM PST to January 19, 8:00 AM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

COOP station at Lodgepole reported a measured 24 hour snowfall of 16 inches in Tulare County.

Heavy Snow, Tulare Cty Mtns

When: January 18, 8:00 AM PST to January 19, 8:00 AM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Trained Spotter near 6 miles east southeast of Camp Nelson reported a measured 24 hour snowfall of 14 inches in Tulare County at an elevation of 7,200 feet.

Heavy Snow, S Sierra Mtns

When: January 18, 8:00 AM PST to January 19, 8:00 AM PST
Where: S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

COOP station near Tuolumne Meadows reported a measured 24 hour snowfall of 15 inches in Tuolumne County.

Winter Weather, Kern Cty Mtns

When: January 18, 6:04 PM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement

California Highway Patrol reported vehicles spinning out due to snow on roadway near Cuddy Valley Road and Mil Potrero Highway in Kern County.

Heavy Snow, Tulare Cty Mtns

When: January 19, 8:00 AM PST to January 20, 8:00 AM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

COOP station at Lodgepole reported a measured 24 hour snowfall of 10 inches in Tulare County.

Heavy Snow, Tulare Cty Mtns

When: January 19, 8:00 AM PST to January 20, 8:00 AM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Trained Spotter at 5 miles east southeast of Camp Nelson reported a measured 24 hour snowfall of 10 inches in Tulare County.

Heavy Snow, S Sierra Mtns

When: January 19, 8:00 AM PST to January 20, 8:00 AM PST
Where: S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

COOP station near Tuolumne Meadows reported a measured 24 hour snowfall of 10 inches in Tuolumne County.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
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

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: 677977, 677978, 677979, 677980, 677981, 677982, 677983.