Winter Storm and Damaging Winds in California, February 21 to 25, 2023

Name: Winter Storm and Damaging Winds in California, February 21 to 25, 2023
Start: 2023-02-21T10:00
End: 2023-02-25T12:00
Location: California

February 21 to 25, 2023 · NWS STO · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

A powerful and cold storm system with heavy snow and gusty winds brought blizzard conditions. Snow amounts of 2 to near 5 feet were reported in the mountains.

Where it happened

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

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $20,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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 powerful and cold storm system with heavy snow and gusty winds brought blizzard conditions. Snow amounts of 2 to near 5 feet were reported in the mountains. Significant snow fell down into the northern Sacramento Valley, with 3 to 8 inches of accumulation impacting travel. Many schools were closed or had delays. Wind gusts of 40-60 mph were recorded across the area, with gusts locally higher in the high elevations of the northern Sierra. The winds and low snow combined to cause dangerous travel conditions numerous road closures, including a closure of Interstate 5 north of Fawndale, on US Highway 50 and an extended closure of Interstate 80 across the Sierra.

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 Feb 21, 2:29 AM PST, 7 hours 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 21, 2:29 AM PST, 7 hours 31 minutes before

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The radar

The Beale AFB radar (KBBX), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:13 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 winter storm, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada

When: February 21, 10:00 AM PST to February 25, 4:00 AM PST
Where: West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways

Caltrans reported a storm total snow amount of 42 inches at Soda Springs. Ski resorts reported 47 inches at Kirkwood Mountain Resort, 39 inches at Sierra-at-Tahoe, 53 inches at Palisades Tahoe, and 45 inches at Sugar Bowl Resort. UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab reported 57.1 inches storm total. California Highway Patrol reported the closure of mountain highways due to heavy snow and strong wind, including Highway 50 and Interstate 80. Interstate 80 was closed in both directions from Colfax to CA/NV stateline from 1:30 PM 2/23 to 10:40 AM 2/24. Traffic was held on US Highway 50 eastbound to South Lake Tahoe for around 4 hours on 2/23. Several other highways across the mountains were also closed. Local media reported area schools were closed. Local weather stations reported strong winds, with gusts to 59 mph at Duncan RAWS, 54 mph at Tahoe Donner RAWS (along I-80), and 45 mph at Alpha DRI.

Winter Storm, Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County

When: February 21, 10:00 AM PST to February 25, 4:00 AM PST
Where: Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy snow and wind brought dangerous driving conditions with area road closures. Trained spotters in Quincy, CA reported storm total snow amounts of 16 to 22 inches. Lower Lassen Peak weather station reported 40 inches of storm total snow. Quincy COOP reported 20 inches of storm total snow, and Chester COOP reported 15 inches of snow. Gusty winds were observed with this storm, with 54 mph reported at Camel Peak, 35 mph reported at Humbug Summit RAWS, 45 mph reported at Colby Mountain RAWS, and 40 mph reported at Hatchet Mountain. Area power outages were reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Butte

When: February 21, 2:15 PM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where: Butte County, (Cic)chico Muni Arpt
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 39.800, -121.850

More than 800 PG&E customers in the downtown area of Chico were without power on the afternoon of 2/21. The outage was between Main Street and Orange Street and between W. 1st Street and W. 7th Street. Some traffic lights were reported out. Winds at Chico Airport were sustained at 31 mph with gusts to 49.5 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Nevada

When: February 21, 2:58 PM PST to 6:00 PM PST
Where: Nevada County, Nevada City
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 39.270, -121.020

A power outage in Nevada City affected 1,278 customers on the east side of Hwy 20 and another 54 on Cement Hill.

Winter Storm, Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County

When: February 23, 4:00 AM PST to February 24, 4:00 PM PST
Where: Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimated 6 to 18 inches fell for storm total snow in the mountains of southwestern County and western Colusa County.

Winter Storm, Shasta Lake/North Shasta County

When: February 23, 10:00 AM PST to February 24, 4:00 PM PST
Where: Shasta Lake/North Shasta County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter at Sims reported a storm total snow of 36 inches at an elevation of 2800 feet. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimated 12 to 36 inches fell for storm total snow in the mountains of northern Shasta County. Interstate 5 northbound was closed at Fawndale due to winter weather conditions from 8:53 pm 2/23 to 1:00 am 2/24.

Winter Storm, Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley

When: February 23, 10:00 AM PST to February 25, 4:00 AM PST
Where: Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Public

Low elevation snow fell into the northeast foothills. Snowfall reports included 15 inches at Upper Magalia (2855 feet) and 11 inches at Paradise (2100 feet).

Winter Storm, Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland

When: February 23, 10:00 AM PST to February 25, 4:00 AM PST
Where: Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Low elevation snow fell into the Motherlode foothills. CoCoRaHS snowfall reports included 10.8 inches at Nevada City 3.4 NNW , and 10.5 inches at Nevada City 1.7 SSE, 7.7 inches of snow at Camino 1.2 N. Many schools and businesses were reported closed.

Winter Storm, Northern Sacramento Valley

When: February 23, 4:00 PM PST to February 25, 12:00 PM PST
Where: Northern Sacramento Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Social Media

Low elevation snow fell over the northern Sacramento Valley. Snowfall reports included 6 inches at Red Bluff (300 feet), 6.5 inches for northern Redding (580 feet), 5 inches at Redding Fire (near Redding Airport), and 4 inches at Red Bluff water treatment. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimated 2 to 8 inches fell for storm total snow. Interstate 5 northbound was closed 10 miles north of Redding at Fawndale due to winter weather conditions from 8:53 pm 2/23 to 1:00 am 2/24.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in California, February 2023

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: 1083149, 1083162, 1083229, 1083230, 1083220, 1083195, 1083211, 1083212, 1083207.