California, 2022

Winter Storm and Winter Weather in California, November 1 to 2, 2022

November 1 to 2, 2022 · NWS STO · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

The first significant winter snow storm of the season brought treacherous driving conditions including chain controls and multiple highway closures due to accumulating snow, multiple accidents and spin outs due to snow. This included an extended closure on I-80 due to multiple spin outs.

The toll

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS STO wrote it up.

The first significant winter snow storm of the season brought treacherous driving conditions including chain controls and multiple highway closures due to accumulating snow, multiple accidents and spin outs due to snow. This included an extended closure on I-80 due to multiple spin outs. Reports of 9 to 17 inches of new snow in the higher mountains were received, with light accumulations down to the upper foothills, around 2,800 feet.

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 Nov 1, 1:09 AM PST, 9 hours 51 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 1, 1:09 AM PST, 9 hours 51 minutes before
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Event by event

3 winter storm, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada

When
November 1, 11:00 AM PST to November 2, 7:00 PM PST
Where
West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways

CalTrans reported a storm total of 16 inches of snow at Castle Peak and 15 inches at Kingvale. Central Sierra Snow Lab reported 17 inches for the entire event, while a CDEC SNOTEL reported 8 inches at Blue Canyon. Eastbound I-80 was closed on November 1 from 4 pm until 6:35 pm to all traffic and I-80 was closed to big rigs in both directions with chain controls in effect for Sierra highways. I-80 was closed again around 7 am November 2 after an accident near the summit. I-80 eastbound remained closed until 11:05 am November 2 from Cisco Grove east. US 50 was closed from 5:15 pm to 6 pm on November 1, and again on the morning of November 2. Closure info is courtesy of CalTrans District 3.

Winter Storm, West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada

When
November 1, 11:00 AM PST to November 2, 7:00 PM PST
Where
West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada forecast zone
Reported by
Public

Sierra Nevada Ski Resorts reported between 9 and 13 inches of snow accumulation for the event. Bear Valley reported a total of 13 inches, Sierra at Tahoe reported 12 inches, Sugar Bowl 11 inches, Dodge Ridge 10 inches, and Soda Springs 9 inches of total snow.

Winter Storm, Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County

When
November 1, 11:00 AM PST to November 2, 7:00 PM PST
Where
Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

Lower Lassen Peak reported a storm total of 10 inches of snow. A spotter at Quincy reported 1.25 inches of snow and CoCoRaHS observers reported 2 inches at Chester and Meadow Valley, both on November 2. Snow delayed travel on area roads.

Winter Weather, Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland

When
November 1, 11:00 AM PST to November 2, 7:00 PM PST
Where
Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS

There were 1.2 inches of snow measured by a CoCoRaHS observer at Grass Valley.

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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, November 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: 1062944, 1062948, 1062950, 1062953.