Sierra Nevada Sees Over 100 Inches of Snow in 5 Days

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The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab reported that 111 inches of snow fell in just five days this week near Donner Summit, making it the third snowiest 5-day period on record at the lab since digitized record-keeping began in 1970.

Why it matters

The Sierra Nevada region is known for heavy snowfall, but this recent stretch of over 100 inches in just 5 days is an exceptionally rare and extreme weather event that highlights the increasing intensity of winter storms in the area due to climate change. The heavy snow has significant impacts on transportation, outdoor recreation, and the local economy.

The details

The snow lab said the final 18.5 inches that fell in the last 24 hours pushed the 5-day total to 111 inches, or just over 9 feet. This is the third snowiest 5-day period on record at the lab, surpassed only by 113 inches in December 1970 and 118.5 inches in April 1982. The rapid accumulation included 25.6 inches in one day and 54.9 inches over two days.

• The 111 inches of snow fell over a 5-day period this week.
• The final 18.5 inches fell in the last 24 hours, pushing the 5-day total to 111 inches.

What’s next

Forecasters say a warmer storm is expected to move into the region in the middle of next week, which could impact the heavy snowpack.