California’s vast geography contains an extreme range of microclimates, meaning the answer to when it last snowed depends entirely on the location. The state includes deserts, coastal regions, and alpine mountain ranges, each with a unique likelihood of snow. While high-elevation areas like the Sierra Nevada Mountains experience snow every winter, the occurrence is a rare anomaly in the state’s massive, low-lying urban centers. Understanding snowfall requires differentiating between the annual mountain accumulation and the unusual events that reach lower elevations.
Defining the “Last Snow”: The Most Recent Major Event
The most recent widespread and impactful snow event outside of the highest peaks occurred during the winter of 2025 to 2026, driven by a series of powerful Pacific storms. This intense weather system, beginning in late December 2025 and continuing into early January 2026, brought heavy, low-elevation snow to mountain passes and foothills. The storm was significant because it lowered the snow level dramatically, affecting areas that rarely see accumulation.
The event caused major disruptions along the Interstate 80 corridor. At Donner Pass, several feet of snow fell, resulting in whiteout conditions and prolonged closures of the trans-Sierra highway. Mammoth Lakes, a popular resort town, reported multiple feet of accumulation, creating logistical isolation for residents. The storm also affected Southern California passes, including the Grapevine section of Interstate 5, which experienced temporary closures due to snow and ice near the Tejon Pass.
Snowfall in California’s Urban Centers
Snow is a rare phenomenon in California’s major metropolitan areas, which are situated at low elevations near the coast or in the Central Valley. For many residents, the last time snow fell was decades ago, often amounting to only a trace or light dusting. These events require a specific convergence of cold air from the Gulf of Alaska and sufficient atmospheric moisture.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, the last notable snowfall occurred on February 5, 1976, when snow blanketed the city’s highest elevations. This event left several inches of snow on the peaks of Twin Peaks and Mount Tamalpais. Significant snowfalls were previously recorded in 1951 and 1962, demonstrating the decades-long intervals between measurable snow events.
The Los Angeles basin is equally unaccustomed to snow. The last accumulable snowfall in the downtown area was recorded during a three-day storm in January 1949, leaving about two inches of slushy snow downtown. Surrounding areas like the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood Hills received more substantial accumulation. A light dusting was reported in the Malibu and West Los Angeles areas on January 17, 2007, but it did not amount to measurable accumulation. Central Valley cities like Sacramento also experience trace amounts of snow very infrequently, such as a brief dusting reported in 2009.
Historical Extremes: Notable Anomalies and Record Events
California’s long-term weather records contain evidence of exceptional snow events that dwarf recent storms. The deepest recorded snowpack in modern history occurred during the winter of 2022–2023, characterized by a series of atmospheric rivers. By April 8, 2023, the Sierra Nevada snowpack reached 252% of its average for that date, holding an average equivalent of 64.2 inches of water.
The 2023 event, sometimes referred to as a “snow deluge,” stood out as the snowiest on record when measured by snow water equivalent, edging out the previous record set in 1922. The Central Sierra Snow Laboratory has recorded total seasonal snowfall at Donner Summit that has exceeded 60 feet in several historic years. The 1880s also saw significant anomalies, including a storm in 1882 that brought heavy snow across much of Southern California.