California, 2022

Heavy Snow in California, December 1 to 2, 2022

December 1 to 2, 2022 · NWS STO · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

A major winter storm brought widespread rain, heavy mountain snow, gusty winds and mountain travel impacts to interior Northern California to start the month of December. Interstate 80 was closed in the Sierra for over 3 hours, and multiple spinouts were reported leading to periodic closures of Highway 50 at Echo Summit.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

A major winter storm brought widespread rain, heavy mountain snow, gusty winds and mountain travel impacts to interior Northern California to start the month of December. Interstate 80 was closed in the Sierra for over 3 hours, and multiple spinouts were reported leading to periodic closures of Highway 50 at Echo Summit. Ski resorts reported multiple feet of snow with this storm between 11/30/22 and 12/02/22.

Event by event

5 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada

When
December 1, 12:00 AM PST to December 2, 4:00 AM PST
Where
West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways

California Highway Patrol reported the closure of Interstate 80 due to heavy snow, as well as the periodic closures of Highway 50 at Echo Summit due to multiple spinouts. Ski resorts reported multiple feet of snow for this event. Dodge Ridge Ski Area reported 24 inches, Sierra-at-Tahoe reported 43 inches, Kirkwood reported 20 inches, and Sugar Bowl reported 17 inches of snow. Central Sierra Snow Lab reported 17 inches, and Caltrans reported 26 inches at Castle Peak over 24 hours.

Heavy Snow, Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County

When
December 1, 12:00 AM PST to December 2, 4:00 AM PST
Where
Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency

Lassen National Park reported 36 inches of snow over 48 hours. A COOP observer in Chester reported 10 inches of snow over 48 hours.

Heavy Snow, Burney Basin/Eastern Shasta County

When
December 1, 12:00 AM PST to 12:30 PM PST
Where
Burney Basin/Eastern Shasta County forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency

An estimated 3 to 18 inches of snow were reported across the Burney Basin area according to the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center over 48 hours.

Heavy Snow, Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County

When
December 1, 12:00 AM PST to December 2, 4:00 AM PST
Where
Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency

An estimated 3 to 18 inches of heavy snow fell across the mountains of Shasta county to western Colusa County over 48 hours, according to the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center.

Heavy Snow, Shasta Lake/North Shasta County

When
December 1, 12:00 AM PST to December 2, 4:00 AM PST
Where
Shasta Lake/North Shasta County forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency

An estimated 3 to 18 inches of heavy snow fell across the Shasta County mountain areas over 48 hours, according to the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center.

What these are

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

More

Every storm in California in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2022

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: 1067929, 1067930, 1067934, 1067936, 1067937.