A spring storm brought rain, mountain snow and thunderstorms to interior northern California in early to mid April. Gusty winds with a line of thunderstorms on April 11th between 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM led to numerous reports of tree damage and power outages in the Greater Sacramento Area and into the adjacent Sierra foothills, with measured wind gusts of 35 to 40 mph observed.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 STO wrote it up.
A spring storm brought rain, mountain snow and thunderstorms to interior northern California in early to mid April. Gusty winds with a line of thunderstorms on April 11th between 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM led to numerous reports of tree damage and power outages in the Greater Sacramento Area and into the adjacent Sierra foothills, with measured wind gusts of 35 to 40 mph observed. There were also numerous reports of roadway flooding. A touchdown of an EF-U tornado occurred from 2:05 PM to 2:06 PM on April 12th near Vina, CA. There were also reports of severe hail in thunderstorms. Heavy mountain snow brought major travel impacts to the Sierra Nevada from April 10th through 12th. UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab measured 42.6 inches of heavy snow. Kirkwood Ski Resort measured 41 inches of heavy snow. Wind gusts in the Sierra were measured generally between 45 and 55 mph.
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 Apr 10, 10:39 AM PST, 2 hours 28 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sacramento CA 1139 AM PDT Fri Apr 10 2026 For additional details on weather and expected impacts over the next 7 days, please visit weather.gov/sto/briefing. .KEY MESSAGES... - Cooler temperatures and active weather through the weekend with rain, strong to severe thunderstorms, gusty winds, and mountain snow. - Winter Storm Warning in effect for the Sierra and Southern Cascades Friday evening through Sunday evening. && .DISCUSSION... ...Today through the Weekend... Current upper air pattern has a 500mb trough off the coast of California moving onshore today and through the weekend. Southerly flow of instability and moisture has helped develop showers and storms within the forecast area, with continued chances for storms this afternoon and evening. Soundings indicate low LCL, CAPE indices around 800-1500 J/kg, weak low level shear, and long CAPE through the atmosphere. This type of set up brings the chance for large hail (1 inch plus), accumulating hail, strong winds, moderate rainfall rates (locally heavy), and brief weak tornadoes. Currently this morning, we have had a few pulse/multi cellular storms develop along the foothills/valley with a report of accumulating hail east of the Orville, CA area. Latest CAMS have continued development through the remainder of the afternoon and evening, with the prime time for thunderstorm activity this afternoon and early evening when speed shear, directional shear, and instability is at its peak. Continued chances for strong to potential severe storms again Saturday and into Sunday as the upper level system moves through CA. If you are headed out, keep an eye on the skies and have a way to receive watches, warnings, and statements today and through the weekend. As the system moves onshore and we filter in cooler air aloft, precipitation changes over to snow within the mountains. Latest NBM has kept the forecasted snow totals roughly the same, with slightly lower snow levels Sunday. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from this evening through Sunday evening for elevations above 4500 feet. Snow levels today will be above 6000 feet and lower toward 4000-5000 feet by Sunday. Heaviest snow rates and lowest snow levels are expected to be from Saturday afternoon through Sunday where major impacts to mountain travel are anticipated. Mountain travel is discouraged this weekend. Heavy snowfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour are possible within the Sierra Saturday afternoon through Sunday. Gusty southerly winds are also forecasted, with the strongest on Saturday. The north/central Sacramento Valley, northeast foothills and Sierra Crest will see the strongest winds of 35-45mph. We will continue to monitor the trends in the forecast to see if a product will be needed for the winds. ...Next Week... A return to drier and warmer temperatures early to mid next week as a ridge of high pressure builds into the region. How amplified the ridge becomes is uncertain as latest guidance from the NBM suggests the ridge flattening out mid to late week. This would bring the chance for isolated showers and a few snow showers within the mountains. Amounts, timing, and development of any potential system mid to late next week is uncertain at this time with confidence being low. && .AVIATION... MVFR conditions are expected over the next 24 hours, with periods of IFR in and around any thunderstorm activity. Showers and storms will continue to move through the region through the weekend. Winds, in and around thunderstorms may become erratic with direction changes and quick speed changes. Otherwise, surface winds will be out of the south for sites around Sacramento through RDD and RBL. MOD and SCK will see winds out of the NW. Surface winds will be around 10-12kts, with periodic gusts to 20kts in RDD and RBL. Winds will be on the stronger side tomorrow in the northern Sacramento Valley, with gusts up to 45mph at times. && .STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning from 5 PM this afternoon to 11 PM PDT Sunday for West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada-Western Plumas County/Lassen Park. &&
The San Francisco radar (KMUX), 94 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:06 UTC.
8 flood, 3 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 2 heavy snow, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Public reported 1 inch hail with severe thunderstorms, relayed by broadcast media.
A trained spotter reported ping pong sized hail 1.5 inches in diameter in Rio Vista with severe thunderstorms.
Heavy mountain snow brought major travel impacts to the Sierra Nevada from April 10th through 12th. UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab measured 42.6 inches over this period. Kirkwood Ski Resort measured 41 inches. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimated 2 to over 4 feet of snow above 5000 feet, with 3 to 6 inches down to around 4000 feet from April 10th through 12th. There were extended periods of chain controls along the mountain highways due to heavy snow. Over 100 vehicles were stuck on Highway 88 in Amador County at one point due to the winter storm. Interstate 80 had periods of closures and holding of traffic due to heavy snow and spinouts.
The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimated 2 to 4 feet of heavy snow above 5000 feet with 3 to 6 inches down to 4000 feet and minor accumulations down to 3500 feet. CoCoRaHS CA-PM-2 5.6 miles WSW of Meadow Valley measured 5 inches of snow at 4438 ft.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding at Interstate 80 eastbound and Norwood Avenue.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding at Capital City Freeway.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding at Watt Avenue.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding from heavy rain on Westbound Interstate 80 at Penryn.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Interstate 80 westbound and Newcastle Road from heavy rain.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding from heavy rain on Interstate 80 eastbound and Longview Drive.
Trained spotter reported a small downed tree with thunderstorms in Elk Grove. Nearby wind gusts measured 42 mph.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding from heavy rain on Highway 49, with vehicles having a difficult time driving through.
California Highway Patrol reported a downed tree blocking all lanes from thunderstorm winds.
California Highway Patrol reported a downed tree from thunderstorm winds.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding from heavy rain.
Between approximately 2:05 pm and 2:06 pm PDT on Sunday April 12, 2026, video and radar evidence, and area ALERTCalifornia PG&E webcam footage showed a brief tornado about 4 miles southeast of Vina in an unpopulated, rural grassland area of Tehama County. Meteorologists made the determination based on video evidence that a brief tornado touched down from approximately 2:05 pm until 2:06 pm. There were no reports of damage or injury. It was determined that this was an EF-U (unknown) tornado that touched down for approximately 1 minute.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for California, 2026Warnings in California, April 2026
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: 1328823, 1328820, 1328873, 1328875, 1328808, 1328810, 1328812, 1328814, 1328817, 1328819, 1328830, 1328827, 1328843, 1328845, 1328834, 1328853.