California, 2022Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in California, December 3 to 5, 2022
December 3 to 5, 2022 · NWS STO · 4 events in 4 counties and zones
The second winter storm of the month delivered widespread rain to the Valley and foothills, as well as heavy mountain snow to the southern Cascades and Sierra Nevada where significant mountain travel impacts were observed in the form of chain controls and extended road closures from 12/3/22 to 12/5/22.
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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
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 second winter storm of the month delivered widespread rain to the Valley and foothills, as well as heavy mountain snow to the southern Cascades and Sierra Nevada where significant mountain travel impacts were observed in the form of chain controls and extended road closures from 12/3/22 to 12/5/22.
Event by event
2 heavy snow, 1 winter weather, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Snow, West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada
- When
- December 3, 4:00 AM PST to December 5, 4:00 AM PST
- Where
- West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
Caltrans District 3 reported multiple spinouts on I-80 due to snow, leading to traffic being held for brief periods on 12/3, 12/4 and 12/5. Ski resorts reported multiple feet of snow over the weekend into Monday. Sugar Bowl Ski resort reported 29 inches, Palisades Tahoe reported 32 inches, Kirkwood reported 22 inches, and the Central Sierra Snow Lab reported 29.1 inches of storm total snow.
Heavy Snow, Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County
- When
- December 3, 4:00 AM PST to December 5, 4:00 AM PST
- Where
- Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Official NWS Observations
Heavy mountain snow brought travel impacts to western Plumas County and Lassen National Park, with Lower Lassen Peak reporting 29.1 inches storm total over the weekend into Monday.
Winter Weather, Shasta Lake/North Shasta County
- When
- December 3, 10:00 AM PST to December 5, 4:00 AM PST
- Where
- Shasta Lake/North Shasta County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
Caltrans reported the closure of Interstate 5 North at Fawndale Road for approximately 8 hours due to winter weather conditions. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimated snow amounts between 2 to 8 inches across the area.
Funnel Cloud, Tehama
- When
- December 4, 4:10 PM PST to 4:20 PM PST
- Where
- Tehama County, Corning Muni Arpt
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 39.950, -122.170
There was a public report with a photo on Twitter of a funnel cloud northeast of Corning.
- 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.
- 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.
- Rip Current in Florida, December 3, 20221 death · 1 event
- Marine High Wind in Lake Superior, December 3 to 4, 202253 kt wind · 6 events
- Debris Flow and Winter Weather in California, December 3 to 4, 20224 events
- Strong Wind in Massachusetts, December 3, 2022$2,000 · 2 events
- High Wind in Maine, December 3, 202257 kt wind · 2 events
- Wildfire in Oklahoma, December 3, 20221 event
- Storm Surge in Alaska, December 3 to 4, 20221 event
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: 1068984, 1069017, 1073681, 1073121.