Heavy mountain snow was observed with a winter storm at the end of March, with rain in the Valley and foothills, and gusty south to southeast winds. Periods of chain controls were observed along mountain highways.
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 episode as NWS STO wrote it up.
Heavy mountain snow was observed with a winter storm at the end of March, with rain in the Valley and foothills, and gusty south to southeast winds. Periods of chain controls were observed along mountain highways.
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 Mar 29, 1:48 AM PST, 6 hours 12 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sacramento CA 248 AM PDT Fri Mar 29 2024 .Synopsis... The next round of of active and impactful weather arrives today, persists through Saturday, and lingers into Sunday. Widespread rain, moderate mountain snow, gusty southerly winds today, and isolated thunderstorms on Saturday are all expected. As a result, mountain travel impacts are anticipated today into the weekend. Drier and warmer weather then prevails early to mid next week. && .Discussion... As of early this morning, a relative lull in activity is being observed across interior NorCal. Partly to mostly cloudy skies are evident, with generally light winds and low temperatures in the 40s in the Valley and 20s to 30s at higher elevations. An offshore closed low approaching the coast is beginning to result in increasing cloud cover though, and this system will introduce the next period of active weather from today into the weekend. This closed low is expected to deepen as it reaches the coast and then continue on a southward trajectory along the California coastline through the weekend. The path of this system will allow for an influx of moisture into interior NorCal ahead of it. With ample forcing from the close proximity of the closed low, increasing precipitation chances are expected throughout the day today across much of the region. Additionally, as a lobe of a low to mid level jet streak pushes inland as the system arrives, a period of gusty south to southeast winds is expected this afternoon into the evening across the Delta and southern Sacramento and northern San Joaquin Valleys. Wind gusts of 40 to 45 mph are expected in these areas. As for precipitation, given the orientation of the system, heaviest precipitation is anticipated at higher elevations, with a bit of a shadowing effect throughout the Valley with the initial arrival of precipitation. While periods of moderate rain in the foothills and mountain snowfall are expected to begin this morning, more isolated rain shower activity is expected in the Valley. As the closed low draws closer to the coast by the afternoon though, a period of more widespread precipitation is anticipated through the afternoon and evening, with moderate snowfall continuing into Saturday morning over the Sierra. At this time, heaviest precipitation is expected this afternoon into early Saturday morning. As the closed low progresses, periods of scattered showers will then remain possible through Saturday, with a few isolated thunderstorms across the Delta and southern Sacramento and northern San Joaquin Valleys. Any thunderstorms that do develop will have the potential for brief heavy rainfall, gusty winds, small hail, and possibly a few instances of funnel clouds. All in all, liquid precipitation totals of 0.5" to 1.0" will be possible in the Valley and foothills, with 1.0" to 2.0" over the mountains. Snow levels look to remain persistent, around 3500' to 4500', today into Saturday, before rising to 4500' to 5500' Saturday evening into Sunday morning. As a result, heaviest accumulating snowfall is expected above 5000', with still some accumulations down to 4000'. While overly heavy snowfall rates are not anticipated, prolonged periods of moderate snow, with snowfall rates up to 1" per hour at times, are expected. As a result, currently looking at snowfall accumulations of 4" to 8" between 4000' and 5000', with 8" to 20" above 5000', and up to 30" at highest peaks. These snowfall numbers are similar for both the Coastal Range/Shasta County mountains and Sierra, with heaviest snowfall expected along the Sierra from around I-80 southward. Regardless, expect at least moderate mountain travel impacts this weekend, with travel delays and chain controls possible from falling snow and snow covered roads. Mountain snow showers are expected to linger south of I-80 through much of the day on Sunday and although a few isolated showers may continue across the northern San Joaquin and southern Sacramento Valley, generally dry and quiet weather is expected elsewhere. As the closed low continues southward along the California coastline, an upper level ridge is expected to build in from the Pacific Northwest into early next week. This will result in dry and warming weather into Monday, with high temperatures returning to near normal by Monday afternoon. && .EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Tuesday THROUGH Friday)... Drier and warmer weather expected early next week as EPAC upper level ridging builds into the PacNW and offshore flow develops over NorCal. Locally gusty north to east wind possible into early Tuesday in the northern and eastern foothills and mountains. Ridge progresses midweek as short wave trough digs into the area from the north Wednesday and lingers into Friday. This will result in cooling with a threat of showers and snow showers in the northern and eastern foothills and mountains of interior NorCal. High temperatures Tuesday expected around 7-15 degrees above normal, cooling to below normal Thursday and Friday. && .AVIATION... In Central Vly, areas MVFR/IFR spreading W to E today in shra becoming widespread MVFR/IFR aft 00z Sat. Areas Sly sfc wind 15-25 kts after 18z Fri. Isolated tsra possible vcnty of Delta btwn 20z- 04z. In foothills/mtns, increasing MVFR/IFR conditions spreading W to E today then widespread MVFR/IFR aft 20z Sat with lcl LIFR in shra/shsn. Snow levels 3500-4500 feet. Lcl Sly sfc wind gusts 30-40 kts over higher terrain. && .STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning from 8 AM this morning to 5 PM PDT Saturday for Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County-Shasta Lake Area / Northern Shasta County. Wind Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 11 PM PDT this evening for Carquinez Strait and Delta-Northern San Joaquin Valley- Southern Sacramento Valley. Winter Storm Warning from 8 AM this morning to 5 PM PDT Sunday for West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada-Western Plumas County/Lassen Park. &&
2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Caltrans reported storm total snow amounts of 18 inches at Kingvale and 16 inches at Cabbage Patch over 48 hours. Ski resorts measured 5 to 17 inches over the same timeframe. UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab measured 18.1 inches.
A CoCoRaHS observer near Meadow Valley measured 3 inches of storm total snow. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimated 3 to 12 inches from March 29th through March 31st.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in California, March 2024
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1166348, 1166349.