Winter Storm — Coastal Monterey County, California

1996-01-26 to 1996-01-27 · Coastal Monterey County, California

Wider weather episode

This Pacific storm carried abundant amounts of subtropical moisture and packed winds of 65kt in the Sierra Nevada. Snowfall in the mountains measured as much as 3 feet. Major highways across the Sierra Nevada were closed during the overnight hours. Cold dry air trapped in the northern end of the Sacramento Valley, coupled with the warm moist air riding over the top of this cold air, caused a freak snowfall in the Redding area. WSO Redding reported 6 inches of snow. The surprise snowfall caused a number of vehicle accidents in the city of Redding and the surrounding area.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5537536. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.