Winter Storm in California

Events

1,660

Deaths

20

Injuries

89

Damage

$23 million

• Winter Storm and Debris Flows in California, January 9, 201821 deaths · 168 injured · $617 million · 6 eventsA powerful winter storm impacted Southwestern California in early January. This storm generated heavy rainfall with totals ranging from 1-4 inches across the coasts and valleys with up to 7 inches over some foothill and mountain areas.
• Flash Flooding and Winter Storm in California, January 7 to 11, 200511 deaths · $210 million · 58 kt wind · 13 eventsA powerful Pacific storm brought heavy rain, snow, flash flooding, high winds and landslides to Central and Southern California. During the 5 day event, rainfall totals ranged from 3 to 10 inches over coastal areas with up to 32 inches in the mountains.
• Flash Flood and Winter Storm in California, March 4 to 6, 20004 deaths · 30 injured · $635,000 · 52 kt wind · 10 eventsA winter storm started out on the evening of Saturday, March 4 with heavy wet snow at the higher elevations and heavy rain and flooding at the lower elevations. Sustained 40 knot winds overnight caused heavy surf and several boats to lose their anchorage.
• Flash Flooding and Winter Storm in California, January 8 to 11, 20232 deaths · $32 million · 68 kt wind · 232 eventsA strong low pressure system moved through central California on January 9 and 10.
• Tornado and Flash Flooding in California, January 23 to 25, 20083 deaths · 3 injured · EF0 · 11 eventsA very powerful winter storm brough significant weather to Central and Southern California. This storm produced several inches of rainfall across the area.
• Flash Flood and Winter Storm in California, February 17 to 22, 20172 deaths · $15 million · 173 kt wind · 22 eventsStorms brought additional rain and widespread flooding and debris flows, as well as mountain snow.
• Tornado and Winter Storm in California, January 7 to 12, 20232 deaths · $100,000 · EF1 · 55 eventsA major winter storm brought strong winds with moderate to heavy rain bringing renewed flooding of already elevated waterways. There was flooding of roadways, urban areas, rivers, streams and creeks, with rockslides and mudslides also reported.
• Winter Storm and Strong Wind in California, October 27 to 28, 20132 deaths · 2 injured · $50,000 · 3 eventsAhead of a low pressure system, strong onshore winds caused for travel disruption for Northern California. The system then dropped over a foot of snow for the Sierra at higher elevations as it passed through the region.
• Winter Storm and Flooding in California, February 11 to 14, 200132 injured · $970,000 · 77 kt wind · 16 eventsA winter storm that took two days to cross Southwest California created near blizzard conditions in the mountains, forcing the closure of all roads. In San Bernardino County, the Wrightwood received between 27 and 60 inches of snow.
• Winter Storm in California, December 20 to 23, 19962 deaths · $75,000 · 1 eventA powerful winter storm ravaged the Greater Lake Tahoe area over a two and a half day period. The main portion of the storm dumped heavy snow over the region from late Friday night (20th) into early Sunday morning (22nd).
• Winter Storm and Avalanche in California, December 20 to 24, 20122 deaths · 7 eventsA series of pacific storms tracked across Northern California Thursday through the weekend bringing periods of moderate to heavy snow in the mountains and gusty winds. Low snow levels brought snow as low as 500 ft before snow levels rose to 3000 to 4500 ft by the weekend.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Rain in California, March 1 to 4, 20182 deaths · 5 eventsMountain snow continued into early March, with storm totals up to around 5 feet. There were also periods of heavy rain in the Central Valley and foothills.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Rain in California, October 19 to 20, 20042 deaths · 4 eventsFollowing the early-season Winter Storm that began on the 17th, extensively more snow fell on the 19th and 20th in the higher elevations of Central California. High winds accompanied this system throughout much of the state.
• Flash Flood and Winter Storm in California, February 4 to 6, 20192 deaths · $10,000 · 3 eventsA cold front moved through Southern California and brought widespread rain, a few inches of snow, and frost to the region. Total rainfall amounts ranged from 1 to 2 inches, locally 4 inches in the San Diego County Mountains.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in California, January 18 to 22, 20101 death · $3.2 million · EF0 · 30 eventsA series of powerful winter storms affected Central and Southern California between the 18th and 22nd of January. As this series of storms moved across the area, they brought heavy rain, flash flooding, gusty winds, heavy snow and even severe weather to the area.
• Tornado and Flash Flood in California, January 17 to 22, 20101 death · $2.3 million · EF0 · 21 eventsBy January 13th, the medium-range forecast models were becoming consistent in predicting a major precipitation event that would affect interior central California beginning the 17th and continuing for several days.
• Flash Flood and Winter Storm in California, March 1 to 2, 20231 death · 1 injured · $933,000 · 22 eventsAfter one powerful storm struck Southern California in late February, a second storm arrived at the end of February and into early March.
• Winter Storm in California, March 10 to 11, 20061 death · 7 injured · $160,000 · 4 eventsA very large, cold low pressure system and associated 160 kt jet brought strong wind and heavy low-elevation snow to the mountains of Southern California. Communities in the San Diego mountains were particularly hard hit by the near record snowfall.
• Flash Flood and Winter Storm in California, February 5 to 10, 20141 death · $700,000 · 6 eventsThree waves of Pacific atmospheric-river-type storms brought significant wet weather to California. The first wave (late Feb 5 through Feb 6) brought 1-1.5 of liquid equivalent for the Sierra, which equated to several inches of fresh snow.
• Flash Flooding and Winter Storm in California, December 13 to 17, 200817 injured · $1.3 million · 63 kt wind · 14 eventsA pair of winter storms associated with a vigorous, cold upper-low brought periods of high winds, heavy rain, and snow to the region from late on the 13th through the 17th.
• Winter Storm in California, April 3 to 4, 19991 death · 1 injured · $370,000 · 2 eventsHeavy surf and strong wind gusts ripped sails and parted lines on several yachts racing between Catalina Island and Newport, grounded two small boats, and capsized two others. The three man crew of one boat was rescued.
• Winter Storm in California, February 17 to 18, 20191 death · $330,000 · 2 eventsShowers and winds diminished across the area during the evening of February 17 as skies cleared out.
• Winter Storm and Debris Flows in California, December 25 to 27, 20191 death · $106,000 · 59 kt wind · 20 eventsA strong and very cold low pressure system dropped southward along the California coast on Christmas Day bringing some light precipitation inland into central California.
• Flash Flooding and Winter Storm in California, January 4 to 7, 20081 death · 1 injured · $65,000 · 56 kt wind · 4 eventsA powerful storm swept through all of California with high winds, periods of heavy rain, and locally heavy snow. Strong upslope flow off the Pacific and a high freezing level fueled larged amounts of rainfall on the coastal slopes.
• Tornadoes and Winter Storm in California, October 21 to 23, 20121 death · EF1 · 7 eventsA strong low pressure system moved through northern California, bringing several feet of snow to the mountains, significant rainfall to the valley and foothills, and tornadic supercells in the valley.

Winter Storm everywhereEvery kind of event in California

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.