California Forecast Shows Snow in August for First Time in 20 Years

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Hanford, California, warned of an unusual weather pattern set to bring snow to the Sierra Nevada this weekend.
The forecast comes as states in the Midwest, Northeast and Pacific Northwest are expecting daily highs more commonly 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 in from the northwest toward California, bringing the threat of an August snowfall.
NWS meteorologist Dan Harty told Newsweek that in California temperatures will be around 10 degrees below average. In some high-elevation areas of the state, a weekend storm could produce snow—the first August snow recorded in the high Sierra Nevada in at least 20 years, the NWS Hanford office said. Typically, regular snowfall begins in late October.
“An unusually, early, cold storm, even for the High Sierra above 8000 feet. August snow has not occurred in these locations for at least 20 years,” NWS Hanford posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Although these are light amounts, motorists and hikers should be aware of this forecast.”
The office included a graph with the post showing the probability of 24-hour snowfall rates exceeding half an inch. On Saturday morning, chances ranged from 10 to 25 percent, jumping to as high as 40 percent by Saturday evening. Sunday morning also could bring a risk of snow. The best chances for snow will occur in the high country in Yosemite National Park, the NWS said.
The snowfall could cause slippery conditions on Tioga Road before it melts, the NWS Hanford office warned, and it’s possible visibility will be greatly reduced during the poor weather. The post advised motorists to alter their travel plans if necessary in the affected areas and to be prepared for “winter-like conditions.”
However, Harty told Newsweek that the snow would be short-lived, as California is expected to return to above-normal temperatures next week.
Meanwhile, other U.S. states are facing dangerously hot conditions, with heat advisories and excessive heat warnings expected to remain in place across Texas throughout the week. Temperatures were soaring past 100 degrees Fahrenheit, threatening to break daily record highs as heat indexes reached 116 degrees.
As of Tuesday evening, the only weather-related alerts in place in California included a fire weather watch in northeastern California and an excessive heat warning in the southeastern part of the state.