A series of cold, upper level ldisturbances tracked across northern California from September 16-18. This brought showers, thunderstorms, and high elevation snow to the region.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS STO wrote it up.
A series of cold, upper level ldisturbances tracked across northern California from September 16-18. This brought showers, thunderstorms, and high elevation snow to the region. Flooding and wind damage were the main impacts from this storm.
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 Sep 16, 2:59 AM PST, 1 hour 45 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sacramento CA 359 AM PDT Mon Sep 16 2019 .SYNOPSIS... Rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms will spread across the area today. Another system could bring more rain by midweek. Dry weather and warm temperatures return late this week. && .DISCUSSION... A cool upper level low pressure system with a surface cold front is spreading into the area this morning. The rain band associated with the cold front at 3:30 am extended from northern Lake County to northeastern Shasta County. This will move to the south and east today and spread rain showers across the area before exiting in the early evening. Isolated thunderstorms have been added to the early morning forecast over western Tehama and Shasta County. This shifts east of I5 and north of I80 by late morning as the front moves. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms across interior northern California this afternoon with some sun in the clearing behind the front bringing additional instability. The latest HRRR suggests the best potential for thunderstorms is north of I80. So far this morning the Redding area to northern Shasta County has seen around 0.10" to 0.33" of an inch of rain, with around 0.05"- 0.10" for western Tehama County. Heavier projected totals are around an inch in the mountains, though stronger thunderstorms could locally bring higher amounts. Valley rainfall is forecast to range from around 0.10" in the northern San Joaquin Valley to around 0.50" for the northern Sacramento Valley. Southerly winds around 10-15 mph are expected in the Valley, with gusts to 40 mph in the higher mountains. Wetting rains and increasing humidity will greatly reduce fire danger, though. Snow levels should remain relatively high as bulk of precipitation moves in, but could briefly lower to around 6500 ft in convection. Snow amounts will be light and are expected to melt rather quickly. The coolest temperature readings of the week are expected to occur today, with daytime highs as much as 10 to 25 below average. In the Valley, this means highs only in the 70s. The upper-level trough is forecast to shift east of the state by early Tuesday, ending precipitation threat across interior NorCal. However, this dry period should be short-lived as another system takes aim at the area by midweek. The precipitation will approach northwestern Shasta County by late Tuesday night and spread across the mountains and foothills and northern Sacramento Valley on Wednesday. In addition, guidance suggests the potential for thunderstorm development at least over higher terrain of Shasta County Wednesday afternoon. Below normal temperatures will continue on Wednesday, with Valley highs in the mid 70s to low 80s. Lingering showers are possible over the Sierra Cascade Range on Thursday, with dry weather elsewhere and slightly warmer (but still cool) temperatures. EK && .EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Friday THROUGH Monday)... A warming trend is expected by the end of the week in response to building ridge along the West Coast. Look for Valley highs in the mid 80s to low 90s, and mostly mid 50s to mid 70s over the mountains. An upper level trough moving into the PacNW on Sunday could bring slightly cooler temperatures. Locally breezy northerly winds possible Friday, as well as early next week. No precipitation is expected through the period. && .AVIATION... Areas of MVFR conditions vicinity showers and thunderstorms through 00Z-03Z Tuesday. Areas southwesterly surface wind gusts 25-35 kts higher elevations northern Sierra Nevada, mainly south of I-80 through 00Z Tuesday. && .STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
The Beale AFB radar (KBBX), 30 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:27 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 2 flood, 1 winter weather, 1 funnel cloud, 1 debris flow, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
The Squaw Alpine Ski Resort tweeted a picture of snow covering the ground on their high Camp Slope. Estimated snow depth from picture would be 1 to 2 inches.
A member of the public saw and photographed a small funnel cloud near Loma Rica. No contact with the ground was observed.
A walnut tree was snapped 3 miles north of Marysville on highway 70. Time stamp of wind gust damage is estimated based on radar.
The California Highway Patrol reported that there was flooding on the bridge between Gyle and Finnel roads and that vehicles were sliding around because of it.
The media shared a wind damage report from the public which included images and videos. A hay barn and horse stable had pole and roof damage that can clearly be seen in the footage. The RAWS weather station at OpenShaw, which is close to the damage site, reported a 50 mph wind gust.
Minor debris and rock slides blocked highway 70 from Jarbo Gap to Greenville Way (Junction of state route 70 and state route 89). Road culverts were blocked with debris requiring lane closures. The debris flow is associated with the Camp Fire burn area.
The public reported mud and rocks in the roadway on highway 49 between Nevada City on the South Yuba River. Time is estimated by radar.
The local news paper reported that multiple members of the public were sending in reports of localized street flooding in Nevada City. This particular point does not necessarily reflect the exact location of flooding and the time of this report is based on radar and observations.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in California, September 2019
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: 859299, 858291, 859300, 858290, 859302, 859309, 859311, 859312.