California’s Extreme Summer: Heat Waves, Wildfires, and Snow

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A surprising cold weather system originating from the Gulf of Alaska has disrupted the summer heat along the West Coast, ushering in snow in the mountains of California and the Pacific Northwest. This unseasonable weather prompted the closure of a portion of Highway 89 that runs through Lassen Volcanic National Park in California.

According to the National Weather Service, about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of snow accumulated overnight, leading to the decision to close certain sections of the highway. Additionally, images shared by the weather agency and local officials showcased a snowy landscape on Mount Rainier in Washington, alongside a light dusting at Minaret Vista, a scenic viewpoint located southeast of Yosemite National Park.

Madera County Deputy Sheriff Larry Rich expressed surprise at the snowfall in August, stating, “It’s not every day you get to spend your birthday surrounded by a winter wonderland in the middle of summer. It made for a day I won’t soon forget, and a unique reminder of why I love serving in this area.”

The unseasonable conditions also extended to northern Nevada, where rain fell just ahead of the annual Burning Man festival. This led organizers to temporarily close the entrance gate on Saturday before allowing entry later in the day. The heavy rainfall last year turned the festival grounds into a muddy mess.

At Mammoth Mountain, a popular ski area in California, snow also fell overnight, causing the National Weather Service to caution hikers and campers about potentially slippery roads.

Rain showers were forecasted to persist south of Lake Oroville in Northern California during the evening hours. Meanwhile, Tioga Pass, reaching over 9,900 feet (3,017 meters)—the eastern entryway to Yosemite—experienced a rare August snowfall, which hasn’t occurred since 2003, according to forecasters.

Despite being months away from the official ski season, local resorts welcomed the unexpected winter hint. Palisades Tahoe, for instance, noted on social media, “It’s a cool and blustery August day here at Palisades Tahoe, as a storm that could bring our first snowfall of the season moves in this afternoon!”

The National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, indicated that “anomalous cool conditions” would continue to affect much of the western U.S. by Sunday morning. However, alongside the anticipated precipitation comes a warning of fire hazards due to gusty winds accompanying the cold front.

A flash flood watch was also put in place for the burn scar of California’s most significant wildfire of the year so far, from Friday morning through Saturday morning. The Park Fire has burned through over 671 square miles (1,748 square kilometers) since it ignited in late July near Chico in Central Valley, moving up the western slope of the Sierra Nevada.

This fire has since become California’s fourth-largest in history, though it has been largely contained. While isolated burns persist within the established fire perimeter, evacuation orders have since been lifted.

The start of California’s wildfire season has been intense, driven by extreme heat in July, with blazes consuming parched vegetation that had flourished during back-to-back wet years. However, fire activity has recently calmed down significantly.

Looking ahead, forecasts anticipate a swift return to summer-like temperatures as the cold front moves out of the region.

Source: Associated Press