Winter Weather — Yosemite Np Outside of the Valley, California

2024-12-12 · Yosemite Np Outside of the Valley, California

Event narrative

Several SNOTELs picked up an estimated 4 to 8 inches of new snowfall.

Wider weather episode

The persistent high pressure ridge which maintained dry conditions over central California for the previous ten days finally broke down during the evening of December 11 as an upper low moved into northwestern California. This system spread widespread precipitation into the area although amounts were generally light with much of the San Joaquin Valley north of Kern County and the Sierra Foothills picking up between one tenth and three tenths of an inch of rain with moderate rain being produced by a few thunderstorms around sunrise on December 12. Much of the higher Sierra Nevada picked up between 3 and 8 inches of new snowfall between the early morning of December 12 and the evening of December 12.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1220347. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.