California, 2018

Winter Storm in California, April 15 to 16, 2018

April 15 to 16, 2018 · NWS STO · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Up to a foot of snow fell in the mountains, with light accumulations down to elevations around 3100 feet, with some wet snow reported as low as 2500 feet. This snow caused some travel difficulties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
2

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 STO wrote it up.

Up to a foot of snow fell in the mountains, with light accumulations down to elevations around 3100 feet, with some wet snow reported as low as 2500 feet. This snow caused some travel difficulties.

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 Sacramento, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 14, 1:40 PM PST, 15 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 14, 1:40 PM PST, 15 hours 20 minutes before
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The radar

The Beale AFB radar (KBBX), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:26 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 winter storm, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada

When
April 15, 5:00 AM PST to April 16, 5:00 AM PST
Where
West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways

Caltrans reported a 24 hour total of 11 of new snow at Kingvale Maintenance Yard. Chain controls and slowdowns were reported on mountain portions of I80 and Highway 50. Bear Valley Ski Resort measured 8 of snow. A spotter at Camino at 3120 feet measured 3 of new snow over 24 hours. A spotter reported some wet snow falling at 2500 feet, with no accumulation.

Funnel Cloud, Glenn

When
April 16, 3:25 PM PST to 3:30 PM PST
Where
Glenn County, 2.12 mi E of Orland
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
39.750, -122.140

A member of the public reported a brief funnel cloud between Orland and Hamilton City.

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Funnel Cloud
A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2018

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 752051, 751182.