California, 2024

Heavy Snow in California, April 3 to 5, 2024

April 3 to 5, 2024 · NWS STO · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

An early April system brought moderate to heavy snow to the mountains and upper foothills of interior northern California from April 3rd through April 5th.

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.

An early April system brought moderate to heavy snow to the mountains and upper foothills of interior northern California from April 3rd through April 5th.

Event by event

4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada

When
April 3, 11:00 PM PST to April 5, 11:00 PM PST
Where
West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways

Caltrans reported snow amounts of 2 to 11 inches over 24 hours. UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab measured 4.1 inches over the same timeframe. Dodge Ridge Ski Resort measured a storm total of 15 inches. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimated 2 to 12 inches over 48 hours, with amounts up to 2 feet over highest peaks.

Heavy Snow, Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County

When
April 3, 11:00 PM PST to April 5, 11:00 PM PST
Where
Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS

CoCoRaHS near Shingletown measured snow amounts of 8.8 inches at 3980 feet, and 10 inches at 3630 feet over 24 hours. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimated 2 to 8 inches over 48 hours.

Heavy Snow, Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley

When
April 3, 11:00 PM PST to April 5, 11:00 PM PST
Where
Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS

CoCoRaHS near Grass Valley measured 3 inches of snow in 24 hours at 2782 feet. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimated storm total snow amounts of 1 to 6 inches over 48 hours.

Heavy Snow, Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland

When
April 3, 11:00 PM PST to April 5, 11:00 PM PST
Where
Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS

Multiple CoCoRaHS observers measured heavy snow, with 6 inches near Volcano at 2426 feet, 6 inches near Camino at 3038 feet, and 6.6 inches near Sonora at 2538 feet. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing estimated 2 to 12 inches of snow over 48 hours.

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 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2024

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: 1166508, 1166509, 1166511, 1166513.