Another Spring storm brought mountain snow, rain and thunderstorms to the area from April 20th through April 22nd. There were numerous reports of roadway flooding due to heavy rain and thunderstorms.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 STO wrote it up.
Another Spring storm brought mountain snow, rain and thunderstorms to the area from April 20th through April 22nd. There were numerous reports of roadway flooding due to heavy rain and thunderstorms. There was also a report of a rock slide on State Route 16 from the heavy rain with rocks all over the road. Moderate mountain snow brought periods of chain controls over the 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 Apr 20, 10:41 AM PST, 12 hours 31 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sacramento CA 1141 AM PDT Mon Apr 20 2026 For additional details on weather and expected impacts over the next 7 days, please visit weather.gov/sto/briefing. .KEY MESSAGES... - Storm system brings renewed precipitation chances in moderate to heavy rain and mountain snow, thunderstorms, cooler temperatures and breezy winds Today through Wednesday - Winter Storm Warning in effect from late tonight through Wednesday afternoon - Mostly dry weather, with the potential for light mountain showers late this week into the weekend && .DISCUSSION... ...Today through Wednesday... Early afternoon radar shows a band of light to moderate rain showers moving through portions of the Coastal Range and central/northern Sacramento Valley, mainly west of the I-5 corridor. Some RAWS sites are picking up around 0.10 to 0.25" inches of rain over the last 6 hours, so mostly light beneficial rain has been observed. Precipitation is expected to continue through the rest of the day, gradually spreading eastward with more widespread coverage by late afternoon/early evening. IVT values of 250 kg/ms with a southerly flow, and synoptic support of a closed low will help the Valley see beneficial rains and snow accumulations to the Sierra Nevada, southern Cascades, and Coastal Range. Recent hi-resolution model trends have increased snow totals above 5000 feet slightly through Wednesday night. Overall impacts have remained the same however, and with increased confidence of at least Moderate winter weather impacts we have upgraded the Winter Storm Watch to a Winter Storm Warning, effective at 2 AM Tuesday through 5 PM PDT Wednesday. Heaviest snow, with potential snowfall rates of 1-2" per hour, will be Tuesday through Tuesday night, where some convective snow bands may develop. Any convective snow bands that develop may also lowering snow levels briefly, so some brief, heavy wet snow showers may be possible below 5500 feet on Tuesday. Wednesday snow levels will fall to roughly 4500-5500 feet, with mostly light lingering snow showers with 1-4 inches expected. Overall, snow accumulations of 12-18 inches above 5000 feet, 2 feet or more at the highest peaks, and Minor accumulations of 2 inches down to 4500 feet are in the forecast today through Wednesday. Rain totals for most of the Valley and foothills increased with this afternoon's forecast run, but overall impacts look to remain unchanged. Minor rain impacts today, then Moderate rain impacts to the Valley and Foothills are expected tomorrow. The HRRR suggests the heaviest rain will move onshore with the 250 kg/ms IVT plume and closed low supporting moisture advection early Tuesday, where moderate to heavy at times rain will be possible in the Valley before moving into the Foothills by the late morning and afternoon. As the main energy moves inland, that is where our greatest chance for thunderstorms will also be across the region. Looking at some forecast soundings across the area, shear values at 0-1 and 0-6km are not overly impressive, nor is forecast CAPE values at this time, however with the closed low over the area the potential for some weak rotation exists. Main threats with thunderstorms will be brief heavy rain, dangerous lightning, small hail, and a brief funnel/weak tornado. Valley rain will begin to taper off by Wednesday afternoon with light lingering rain showers possible through the evening. ...Thursday through Sunday... By Thursday, mostly clear and dry conditions will overtake the area and continue into the weekend. A trough will build in the EPAC however, which will introduce a light shower chance to our higher terrains in the Sierra and southern Cascades Saturday and Sunday. Overall precipitation impacts look to be little to none at this point, as the trough will eventually move inland in SoCal by early next week. High temperatures will fluctuate Thursday- Sunday, with gradual warming Thursday and Friday then gradual cooling by the weekend. Highs will be in the 70s through this period, with cooler low to mid 40s - low 50s for the higher elevations. && .AVIATION... A weather system is moving through interior NorCal this afternoon and will bring widespread Valley rain showers and mountain snow next 24 hours. Scattered MVFR/IFR conditions expected to develop around 00z at most TAF sites, then as we move into Tuesday morning around 06z widespread MVFR/IFR conditions at all TAF sites. Snow levels next 24 hours generally 6000-7000 feet; falling to 5500-6500 feet by 12z Tuesday. Surface winds gusting from south- southwest up to 25 knots in Valley; 35 knots in higher terrain beginning around 00z Tuesday. && .STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning from 2 AM Tuesday to 5 PM PDT Wednesday for Lassen Volcanic NP-Sierra (Cal-Tuo) Above 5000 ft-Sierra (El Dorado-Amador) Above 5000 ft-Sierra (Sierra-Placer) Above 5000 ft-Sierra (Tehama-Plumas) Above 3000 ft. &&
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
20 flood, 5 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
California Highway Patrol reported a flooded roadway at Eastbound Interstate 80 and Road 32A from heavy rain.
California Highway Patrol reported the Auburn Boulevard onramp to southbound 51/Business 80 had standing water in the roadway from heavy rain.
Nearby CoCoRaHS measured around 2 inches of snow. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimates 6 to 24 inches of snow, locally up to 48 inches at Lassen Peak.
Nearby CoCoRaHS measured around 2 inches of snow. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimates 4 to 18 inches of heavy snow.
Caltrans District 3 measured 6 inches of snow at Kingvale, Castle Peak and Blue Canyon. UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab measured 11.8 inches of heavy snow. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimates 4 to 18 inches of heavy snow.
Nearby measurements from Caltrans District 3 measured 6 inches of snow. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimates 4 to 12 inches of heavy snow.
Nearby measurements from Caltrans District 3 measured 6 inches of snow. The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center estimates 4 to 12 inches of heavy snow, locally up to 24 inches south of State Route 4.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Highway 99 southbound from heavy rain.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding near Interstate 5 and Seamus Avenue from heavy rain.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding in the HOV lane of Highway 50 near Bidwell Street from heavy rain.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding along Highway 50 near Sunrise Boulevard from heavy rain.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding from heavy rain.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding from heavy rain.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding in the westbound lanes of Cherokee Road and Sanguinetti Lane.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding from heavy rain.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding at State Route 49 and State Route 12 from heavy rain.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding across all lanes of State Route 99 at Pelandale Avenue offramp.
A member of the public shared a picture of roadway flooding in a neighborhood in Salida.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding at Toomes Road and Covert Road.
California Highway Patrol reported 2 to 3 feet of water across two lanes at State Route 99 and State Route 12 eastbound offramp.
California Highway Patrol reported river and roadway flooding on the bridge at Highway 16 and Kiefer Boulevard.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding across both lanes on South Avenue at Hall Road.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on the Highway 50 westbound onramp at Sunrise Boulevard.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on South Avenue at Million Road.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding at Capay Road and Highway 99 Westbound.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 1331052, 1331053, 1331075, 1331076, 1331077, 1331078, 1331081, 1331054, 1331055, 1331056, 1331057, 1331058, 1331059, 1331061, 1331062, 1331063, 1331064, 1331065, 1331067, 1331068, 1331070, 1331071, 1331072, 1331073, 1331074.