Winter Storm Warning Declared In California Ahead Of First Major Snowfall Of The Season

Topline

Large portions of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains were placed under a winter storm warning Tuesday as the Golden State braces for two winter storms expected this week—potentially ending the state’s exceptionally dry winter so far.

The Sierra Nevada in California could see up to two feet of snow overnight.

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Key Facts

A winter storm warning begins in the Sierra Nevada range at 7 p.m. PST, the National Weather Service said, and will remain in effect until 10 p.m. PST on Wednesday night.

The heaviest snowfall is expected between 9 p.m. Tuesday and 4 a.m. Wednesday morning—with 10-19 inches expected across northern and central California at elevations above 4,000 feet and up to two feet on the highest peaks.

A winter weather advisory was issued for the mountains of Los Angeles County and Ventura County, with 3-6 inches of snow expected.

A second winter storm is expected to arrive in southern California over the weekend, bringing more snow and moderate to strong winds, the NWS said.

Key Background

California is experiencing a drier-than-average winter so far and snow drought conditions persist in the Sierra Nevada, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a report. The entire state has an average snowpack of 25% of its annual average, the California Department of Water Resources reported on Tuesday. According to NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System, large portions of the Sierra Nevada have significantly less snow than average for this time of year—with much of the range in California reporting 0% snow-water equivalent. However, the state is urging Californians to prepare for potential “climate whiplash”—dangerous flooding after months of intense drought.

Surprising Fact

The dry winter comes only months after California finished one of its snowiest winters on record. During the winter of 2022-23, California’s total snowpack soared 237% higher than average. The frigid conditions were enough to take large portions of California out of a prolonged drought—and even refilled Tulare Lake, a large lake drained in the 1800s to make room for the state’s rapidly expanding agriculture base.

Tangent

The winter storms come only days after a storm in the eastern Pacific Ocean battered the California coast with massive waves. The giant ocean swells, which reached as high as 20 feet Friday, flooded streets, destroyed property and injured eight onlookers in Ventura.