California, 2025

Heavy Snow and High Wind in California, March 12 to 14, 2025

March 12 to 14, 2025 · NWS HNX · 15 events in 13 counties and zones

A large upper trough approached the California coast on March 12 and moved across the state on March 13. This system picked up a surge of deep moisture which streamed into central California by the evening of March 12 producing a period of moderate to locally heavy precipitation across the area along with increased winds which continued through the evening of March 13.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 15 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
15

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 HNX wrote it up.

A large upper trough approached the California coast on March 12 and moved across the state on March 13. This system picked up a surge of deep moisture which streamed into central California by the evening of March 12 producing a period of moderate to locally heavy precipitation across the area along with increased winds which continued through the evening of March 13. Much of the San Joaquin Valley picked up between a half inch and an inch and a half of rainfall with some locations in the Fresno area picking up close to 2 inches and much of the Sierra Nevada picked up between and inch and a half and two and a half inches of liquid precipitation. The precipitation mainly fell as snow above 4000 feet with many stations in the Sierra Nevada picking up between one and a half and three feet of new snowfall. The higher elevations of the Tehachapi Mountains picked up between 6 and 12 inches of new snowfall and travel along Interstate 5 and SR 58 were interrupted by road closures. The precipitation finally ended by the morning of March 14 as the trough moved to the east of California.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 heavy snow, 6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Yosemite Np Outside of the Valley

When
March 12, 4:00 PM PST to March 14, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Yosemite Np Outside of the Valley forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
37.609, -119.874 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Dana Meadows SNOTEL (9800 feet) picked up an estimated 33 inches of new snow.|The Tuolumne Meadows SNOTEL (8600 feet) picked up an estimated 25 inches of new snow.|The Ostrander Lake SNOTEL (8200 feet) picked up an estimated 28 inches of new snow.|The Tenaya Lake SNOTEL (8150 feet) picked up an estimated 44 inches of new snow.|The White Wolf SNOTEL (7900 feet) picked up an estimated 45 inches of new snow.|The Paradise Meadow SNOTEL (7676 feet) picked up an estimated 31 inches of new snow.|The Lower Kibbie Ridge SNOTEL (6479 feet) picked up an estimated 31 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, Upper San Joaquin River

When
March 12, 4:00 PM PST to March 14, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Upper San Joaquin River forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
36.988, -119.706 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Kaiser Point SNOTEL (9131 feet) picked up an estimated 23 inches of new snow.|The Devil's Postpile SNOTEL (8004 feet) picked up an estimated 29 inches of new snow.|The Green Mountain SNOTEL (7900 feet) picked up an estimated 22 inches of new snow.|The Chilkoot Meadow SNOTEL (7150 feet) picked up an estimated 30 inches of new snow.|The Poison Ridge SNOTEL (6988 feet) picked up an estimated 26 inches of new snow.|The Graveyard Meadow SNOTEL (6897 feet) picked up an estimated 24 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, Kaiser to Rodgers Ridge

When
March 12, 4:00 PM PST to March 14, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Kaiser to Rodgers Ridge forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
36.758, -119.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Blackcap Basin SNOTEL (10300 feet) picked up an estimated 25 inches of new snow.|The Upper Burnt Corral SNOTEL (9700 feet) picked up an estimated 28 inches of new snow.|The West Woodchuck Meadow SNOTEL (9209 feet) picked up an estimated 27 inches of new snow.|The Tamarack Summit SNOTEL (7613 feet) picked up an estimated 20 inches of new snow.|The Huntington Lake SNOTEL (7020 feet) picked up an estimated 30 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, Kings Canyon Np

When
March 12, 4:00 PM PST to March 14, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Kings Canyon Np forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
36.489, -119.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Bishop Pass SNOTEL (11972 feet) picked up an estimated 27 inches of new snow.|The Charlotte Lake SNOTEL (10419 feet) picked up an estimated 36 inches of new snow.|The State Lakes SNOTEL (10419 feet) picked up an estimated 27 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, Grant Grove Area

When
March 12, 4:00 PM PST to March 14, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Grant Grove Area forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
36.489, -119.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Upper Bull SNOTEL (8073 feet) picked up an estimated 27 inches of new snow.|The Big Meadows SNOTEL (7599 feet) picked up an estimated 30 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, Sequoia Np

When
March 12, 4:00 PM PST to March 14, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Sequoia Np forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
36.220, -118.800 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Upper Tyndall Creek SNOTEL (11443 feet) picked up an estimated 15 inches of new snow.|The Crabtree Meadow SNOTEL (10700 feet) picked up an estimated 19 inches of new snow.|The Farewell Gap SNOTEL (9500 feet) picked up an estimated 27 inches of new snow.|The Chagoopa Plateau SNOTEL (9450 feet) picked up an estimated 15 inches of new snow.|The Giant Forest SNOTEL (6650 feet) picked up an estimated 22 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, South End of the Upper Sierra

When
March 12, 4:00 PM PST to March 14, 7:00 AM PST
Where
South End of the Upper Sierra forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
35.782, -118.765 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Pascoes SNOTEL (9153 feet) picked up an estimated 21 inches of new snow.|The Wet Meadows SNOTEL (9019 feet) picked up an estimated 19 inches of new snow.|The Beach Meadows SNOTEL (7650 feet) picked up an estimated 20 inches of new snow.|The Quaking Aspen SNOTEL (7200 feet) picked up an estimated 22 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, Tehachapi

When
March 12, 4:00 PM PST to March 14, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Tehachapi forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Public report of an estimated 8 inches of new snowfall on Tehachapi Pass.

Heavy Snow, Frazier Mountain Communities

When
March 12, 4:00 PM PST to March 14, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Frazier Mountain Communities forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A trained spotter measured 11 inches of new snowfall at Pine Mountain Club.

High Wind, Mariposa - Madera Lower Sierra

When
March 12, 5:50 PM PST
Where
Mariposa - Madera Lower Sierra forecast zone
Measured
57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
37.400, -119.834 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The PG&E station at Yosemite Pilot Peak measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph.

High Wind, Grapevine

When
March 12, 8:13 PM PST
Where
Grapevine forecast zone
Measured
57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Grapevine Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph.

High Wind, Tehachapi

When
March 12, 8:20 PM PST
Where
Tehachapi forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Southern California Edison Station at Bear Valley Springs Deertail Drive measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.

High Wind, West Side Mountains North of Highway 198

When
March 12, 8:50 PM PST
Where
West Side Mountains North of Highway 198 forecast zone
Measured
57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
36.975, -120.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The PG&E station at Joaquin Ridge measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph.

High Wind, Tehachapi

When
March 12, 9:10 PM PST
Where
Tehachapi forecast zone
Measured
59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Southern California Edison Station at Tejon Hills measured a peak wind gust of 68 mph.

High Wind, Mojave Desert Slope(S)

When
March 12, 9:26 PM PST
Where
Mojave Desert Slope(S) forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in California, March 2025

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: 1231725, 1231727, 1231729, 1231730, 1231731, 1231732, 1232532, 1232533, 1232534, 1231718, 1231720, 1231721, 1231722, 1231723, 1231724.