California, 2021

Avalanche in California, February 3, 2021

February 3, 2021 · NWS MFR · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Two skiers skiing in the backcountry near Etna Summit in Siskiyou county were swept away by an avalanches at about 2 PM PST on 02/03/21. One of the skiers was able to dig himself out.

Where it happened

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  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
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The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 MFR wrote it up.

Two skiers skiing in the backcountry near Etna Summit in Siskiyou county were swept away by an avalanches at about 2 PM PST on 02/03/21. One of the skiers was able to dig himself out. He was able to dig the other skier out and tried life-saving efforts that ultimately failed. He skied out until he got cell phone reception and CHP and the Siskiyou Sheriff's office responded to remove the body on the morning of 02/04/21.

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 Medford, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 3, 9:15 AM PST, 4 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 3, 9:15 AM PST, 4 hours 40 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Medford OR
915 AM PST Wed Feb 3 2021

.DISCUSSION...The bulk of rain has stopped and we are entering a
low tide cycle, this puts the probability further impacts along
the Coquille river at Coquille between low and very low. Due to
the ongoing effects and upstream flow still to move down river,
the watch will remain up to highlight any ongoing impacts.

Have dismissed the Winter Weather Advisories and Warnings for
Josephine, Jackson, and central Douglas County. The heaviest
precip has moved out of this area and showers will be scattered
for the next few hours as they taper off further. Snow has been
sticking on grassy surfaces at 1500 feet, but has struggled to
stick to roadways thus far. The sun will limit snow sticking to
roads even more as the day goes on. There were numerous reports
from spotters and the public alike of 1"+ of snow sticking above
2000-2500+ feet in Josephine and Jackson County. The snow level
this afternoon should rise to between 2500-3000 feet with the
showers that are in the area.

In california snow has been more abundant. 2" of snow was
reported at Yreka as of 8 AM PST. Snow will continue here for a
few more hours, though the bullseye of heaviest precip has begun
to degrade and fall apart as it nears the Mt. Shasta area. Snow
should cease here around 4 PM PST and along the Cascades, with
early cessation elsewhere.

East of the Cascades snow showers will continue for a few more
hours, but the bulk of the snow does seem to be over with. This
has left a light dusting of snow in most valleys and only a little
more at passes. -Miles

&&

.AVIATION...For the 03/12Z TAFs...MVFR ceilings will prevail this
morning with terrain obscured. Brief IFR ceilings are possible in
heavier precipitation this morning, but confidence is not high
enough to include the lower conditions in the TAFs. Gusty winds are
also expected at the coast, including North Bend and Klamath Falls.

Conditions will gradually improve to VFR from north to south during
the day, however confidence on the exact timing shown in the TAF's
are medium, so watch for updates. Even though VFR conditions are
expected this afternoon, partial mountain obscurations are still
possible. Skies will clear this evening with VFR conditions, but
IFR/LIFR to develop later tonight in valley fog and freezing fog.
-Petrucelli

&&

.MARINE...Updated 830 AM PST Wednesday 3 Feb 2021...A cold front has
moved onshore and winds northwest winds will persist through this
afternoon, becoming northerly this evening. Very steep and hazardous
seas will continue through this evening across all areas, then
gradually diminish this evening and overnight. High pressure will
build offshore this evening along with a thermal trough near the
coast, and this will produce gusty north winds and steep seas south
of Port Orford through the weekend. /BR-y

&&

.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon above 1500
     feet in the for ORZ023>030.
     Small Craft Advisory from 4 PM this afternoon to 10 PM PST this
     evening for ORZ021-022.
     Hazardous Seas Warning until 4 PM PST this afternoon for
     ORZ021-022.
     Winter Storm Warning until 4 PM PST this afternoon above 2500
     feet in the for ORZ024>026.

CA...Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon above 1500
     feet in the for CAZ080>082.
     Winter Storm Warning until 4 PM PST this afternoon above 3000
     feet in the for CAZ080.

Pacific Coastal Waters...Small Craft Advisory from 4 PM this afternoon to 10 PM PST this
     evening for PZZ350-356-370-376.
     Hazardous Seas Warning until 4 PM PST this afternoon for
     PZZ350-356-370-376.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 3, 10:06 AM PST, 3 hours 49 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1006 AM PST WED FEB 3 2021

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1006 AM     HEAVY RAIN       5 E WINCHESTER          43.29N 123.25W
02/03/2021  M1.57 INCH       DOUGLAS            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR TOTAL ENDING AT 0800 PST.

&&

JRS
Local storm report, Feb 3, 10:29 AM PST, 3 hours 26 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1029 AM PST WED FEB 3 2021

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0830 AM     HEAVY RAIN       5 NNE SELMA             42.35N 123.57W
02/03/2021  E1.69 INCH       JOSEPHINE          OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR TOTAL ENDING AT 0830 PST. TOTAL
            PRECIPITATION FOR MONTH OF JANUARY WAS 3.74
            INCHES.

&&

JRS
Local storm report, Feb 3, 11:39 AM PST, 2 hours 16 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1139 AM PST WED FEB 3 2021

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1138 AM     SNOW             TRAIL                   42.65N 122.81W
02/03/2021  M2.3 INCH        JACKSON            OR   PUBLIC

            2.3 INCHES OF SNOW IN TRAIL OVERNIGHT INTO
            THIS MORNING. REPORTED BY FATHER OF NWS
            EMPLOYEE.

&&

JRS

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 avalanche. Local standard time, as filed.

Avalanche, Western Siskiyou County

When
February 3, 1:55 PM PST to 2:05 PM PST
Where
Western Siskiyou County forecast zone
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
41.593, -122.540 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two skiers skiing in the backcountry near Etna Summit in Siskiyou county were swept away by an avalanches at about 2 PM PST on 02/03/21. One of the skiers was able to dig himself out. He was able to dig the other skier out and tried life-saving efforts that ultimately failed. He skied out until he got cell phone reception and CHP and the Siskiyou Sheriff's office responded to remove the body on the morning of 02/04/21.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Avalanche, Western Siskiyou County2021-02-0335MaleOutside/Open AreasDirect

What these are

Avalanche
A mass of snow sliding down a mountainside that caused a death, an injury or damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in California, February 2021

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: 932197.