The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Hanford, California, warned of an unusual weather pattern expected to bring snow to the Sierra Nevada this weekend.
The forecast comes as states in the Midwest, Northeast and Pacific Northwest expect daytime highs typically associated with fall weather as a cold front brings a temporary respite from summer heat. Some temperatures will be as much as 15 degrees below average for this time of year. In addition to the cold front, a storm system is moving toward California from the northwest, bringing with it the threat of snowfall in August.
NWS meteorologist Dan Harty said Newsweek that temperatures in California will be about 10 degrees below average. In some high-elevation areas of the state, a storm could bring snow over the weekend – the first August snow recorded in the Sierra Nevada in at least 20 years, the NWS office in Hanford said. Normally, regular snowfall begins in late October.
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“An unusually early, cold storm, even for the High Sierra above 8,000 feet. These locations haven’t had an August snowfall in at least 20 years,” NWS Hanford posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Although the amounts are light, drivers and hikers should take note of this forecast.”
An unusually early, cold storm, even for the High Sierra above 8,000 feet. These parts have not seen an August snowfall in at least 20 years. Although the snow amounts are light, drivers and hikers should take note of this forecast. #CAwx #Yosemite #AugustSnow pic.twitter.com/7VyYOj5EMH
— NWS Hanford (@NWSHanford) 20 August 2024
The agency included a chart with the post showing the probability of 24-hour snowfall amounts of over half an inch. On Saturday morning, the probability was between 10 and 25 percent and rose to as much as 40 percent on Saturday evening. It could also snow on Sunday morning. The best chances for snow are in the high country of Yosemite National Park, according to the NWS.
The snowfall could create slippery conditions on Tioga Road before it melts, the NWS office in Hanford warned, and visibility may be severely reduced during the inclement weather. The post advised motorists to change their travel plans in affected areas if necessary and to prepare for “winter-like conditions.”
Harty, however, said Newsweek that the snow would be short-lived, as California is expected to return to above-average temperatures next week.
Meanwhile, other U.S. states are experiencing dangerous heat conditions. Heat advisories and extreme heat warnings are expected to remain in effect throughout Texas throughout the week. Temperatures soared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), threatening to break daily records as heat indices reached 115 degrees.
As of Tuesday evening, only weather-related warnings were in effect in California, including a fire warning for northeastern California and an extreme heat warning for the southeastern part of the state.
