Low elevation snow, atmospheric rivers and rising river threats characterized February. Several storm systems with some weaker cold weather breaks filled the timeline, with a few dry spells.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 EKA wrote it up.
Low elevation snow, atmospheric rivers and rising river threats characterized February. Several storm systems with some weaker cold weather breaks filled the timeline, with a few dry spells.
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 Eureka, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 1, 5:26 AM PST, 5 hours 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Eureka CA
526 AM PST Sat Feb 1 2025
.SYNOPSIS...Light rain shower will continue through the weekend. A
cold front and stronger pulse of rain will arrive around Monday.
Snow levels will rapidly drop along the front bringing the potential
for impactful now as low as 2000 feet by Tuesday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...Water vapor satellite imagery shows a moisture
plume riding over the top of the ridge near coastal northern
California. Gusty winds have eased as the boundary proceeds
through. Expect winds to turn northerly by the afternoon. Light
rain showers will continue through the weekend with pulses of
slightly stronger rain. Further accumulations over the next 24
hours will generally be light and beneficial between 1 and 2
inches. Light rain rates have generally limited any flooding
concerns. High resolution ensemble guidance shows a less than 10%
chance of any rain rates over 0.3 in/hr, which suggest very little
risk of any flooding concerns through the weekend. Enhanced risk
of rocks and debris on roadways will be the greatest concern.
A cold front crossing the area late Sunday through the day on Monday
will bring a second pulse of rain. This second pulse will be
concentrated in the southern half of the area from Southern
Trinity through Mendocino and Lake Counties. Flooding will remain
of minor concern with little indication of rain rates over 0.4
in. That said, with more recently saturated ground, the risk of
flooding will have to watched closely around Monday mostly in
eastern Mendocino County. CNRFC forecasts do not currently show a
more than 20% chance of any river site even reaching monitor
stage.
Snow levels will rapidly drop along the cold front Monday as much
colder air moves in aloft. By Tuesday, snow levels may drop as low
as 1000 to 2000 feet, though uncertainty remains very high depending
on the exact depth of low level cold air advection. That said,
roughly 50% of ensemble member currently support snow levels down to
1500 feet by early Tuesday morning. As rain showers continue into
next week, this will likely allow for the lowest elevation snowfall
of the season so far with snow impacts possible along many pass of
Highways 101, 199, 299, 3, 36, and even 20 in Lake County. While
models do not suggests particularly high rates, snow will be a
consistent risk through the week.
Such low freezing levels will also bring the potential of
accumulating small hail along the coast. High resolution models show
low freezing levels and low level instability as soon as Sunday
afternoon and evening which could generate isolated small hail along
the coast. This potential will have to watched closely over the next
couple days.
Ensemble models consistently show (90%) rain showers continuing
through much of next week. Most ensemble members (80%) show a dry
period returning some time around February 6th. /JHW /EYS
&&
.AVIATION...Ceilings have lifted this morning to around 3000ft at
the coastal terminals, with remnants of the low cloud deck
scattered and few. Light showers will be spotty in coverage and
duration with some instability. Gusty winds, and degraded
visibilities are to be expected bringing flight categories down to
MVFR/IFR with possible periods of brief LIFR conditions. Shower
activity at KUKI may be a bit more consistent as saturated
vertical columns show up in the model soundings. Winds also mix
down at KUKI this evening. The threat of LLWS exist for a period
this evening as there is shear at low levels before mixing down
completely.
&&
.Marine...Winds will shift to the north northeast behind a cold
front heading south today. This front should clear or mostly clear
our waters by this late afternoon and evening, and then stall.
North winds increase Sunday night into Monday, with the potential
for steep seas first over the southern outer waters with the
influence of a new swell, then encompassing northern outer and
southern outer waters heading into Monday. Winds will also have
potential to meet small craft criteria, especially over southern
outer waters with frequent gusts near 28KT anticipated.
Multiple swells will enter the coastal waters this weekend including
a west-southwesterly swell of 5ft at 8-9 seconds arriving this
morning. An additional west-northwesterly swell of 7-8ft at 11
seconds will arrive Sunday and persist into the work week. Steep
wind waves could create dangerous conditions through the weekend due
to the strong winds mentioned above. These swells and wind waves
have a possibility to create a chaotic sea state through the weekend
into next week. /MH
&&
.EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...
Winter Storm Watch from late Sunday night through late
Monday night for CAZ102-105.
Winter Storm Warning from 10 PM this evening to 4 AM PST
Tuesday for CAZ107.
NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS...
None.
&&
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For forecast zone information
see the forecast zone map online:
https://www.weather.gov/images/eka/zonemap.pngThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
14 heavy rain, 14 flood, 2 winter weather, 1 debris flow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain caused a slide on Wilderness Lodge Road, 3 miles northwest of Branscomb, CA. Lat. 39.68N, Long. -123.66W.
Hwy 101 was closed due to a landslide 5 miles east southeast of Leggett, CA.|Lat. 39.83N, Long. -123.65W.
Vehicle stuck in snow about 16 miles northeast of Gasquet, CA.|Lat. 41.98N, Long. -123.72W.
Flooding at offramp of hwy 101 where Hookton road and Eel river road, 3 miles north northeast of Loleta, CA. Lat. 40.67N, Long. -124.20W.
Flooding at Old Arcata road and Graham road, 2 miles south southeast of Arcata, CA.|Lat. 40.84N, Long. -124.07W.
Flooding 1 mile east southeast of Carlotta, closing Highway 36.|Lat. 40.52N, Long. -124.03W.
Debris flow 2 miles north northwest of Buckingham Park. Lat. 39.04N, Long. -122.78W.
Highway 1 closed due to flooding from the Garcia river.|Lat. 38.93N, Long. -123.71W.
Landslide reported 5 miles west of Bridgeville closing hwy 36.|Lat. 40.48N, Long. -123.89W.
Landslide reportedly closed hwy 128, 4 miles west of Navarro, CA. |Lat. 39.16N, Long. -123.61W.
Highway 128 closed due to flooding from the Navarro river, 5 miles west of Navarro, CA.|Lat. 39.16N, Long. -123.63W.
A slide caused the closure of hwy 36 near Bridgeville, CA. Lat. 40.47N, Long. -123.80W.
Rockslide from heavy rain with tree debris reported on highway 175 near Cobb, CA. |Lat. 38.83N, Long. -122.72W.
Flooding of the Russian River caused by heavy rain, closing hwy 175 approximately 2 miles east-southeast of Hopland, CA. Lat. 38.98N, Long. -123.09W.
Heavy rain likely caused a slide on hwy 96, 3 miles south southeast of Hoopa. |Lat. 41.01N, Long -123.64W.
Heavy rain caused a slide on hwy 29, 1 mile north northwest of Kelseyville, CA.|Lat. 38.97N, Long. -122.83W.
Landslide took out a telephone poll off of Highway 20. Lat. 39.17N, Long. -122.97W.
Flooding on Higway 29. Lat. 38.91N, Long. -122.61W.
Flooding from the rising Russian River at Babcock Ln and Talmage Road.| Lat. 39.14N, Long. -123.19W.
Mesa Drive closed due to a landslide approximately 1 mile west of Clearlake Oaks.|Lat. 39.02N, Long. -122.68W.
Spruce road EXT closed at USS Liberty Lane due to a slide. |Lat. 38.80N, Long. -122.58W.
Highway 299, landslide reported 1 mile east northeast of Big Bar, CA.|Lat. 40.74N, Long. -123.22W.
A slide covered half of the hwy 175 near Adams, CA.|Lat. 38.86N, Long. -122.72W.
Slide covering half of the roadway at Whispering Pines.|Lat. 38.81N, Long. -122.71W.
Flooded road with 2 stalled vehicles 1 mile northwest of Finley, CA.|Lat. 39.01N, Long. -122.89W.
Roadway flooded near the bridge causing closure. |Lat. 39.14N, Long. -123.19W.
State route 175 closed at the Hopland bridge due to flooding.|Lat. 38.97N, Long. -123.12W.
State route 128 closed at Flynn Creek Gate due to flooding.|Lat. 39.16N, Long. -123.58W.
State route 1 closed near the Garcia river due to flooding.|Lat. 38.93N, Long. -123.71W.
State route 271 closed 1 mile southeast of Leggett, between mile markers 16.14 and 2.68. Lat. 39.86N, Long. -123.72W.
Semi tractor trailer (45feet long) stuck in a ditch due to snow/ice/sleet, 5 miles south southwest of Weitchpec, CA. Lat. 41.12N, Long. -123.75W.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in California, February 2025
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: 1251529, 1251539, 1245061, 1245067, 1245085, 1245847, 1245848, 1245855, 1246012, 1251546, 1246021, 1251846, 1251501, 1251512, 1251535, 1251537, 1251849, 1251863, 1251908, 1251931, 1251969, 1251981, 1252000, 1252010, 1252037, 1253433, 1253438, 1253435, 1253434, 1262947, 1262948.