Palisades Tahoe, California sees rare snow in August, causing the closure of Highway 89
Image credit: Palisades Tahoe
Palisades Tahoe Resort in California, USA, experienced a rare August snowfall for the first time in 20 years on Saturday, August 24, 2024.
Rare snowfall occurred over Mammoth Mountain and Palisades Tahoe on Saturday, while some lower-elevation regions of the Sierra Nevada saw mild rainfall.
The snow was limited to the higher elevation areas of the resort, with snow visible at Mammoth Mountain’s McCoy Station at 2 936 m (9 630 feet). Mammoth’s forecast had predicted a slight chance of snow, followed by a slight chance of rain, with temperatures dipping into the low 30s °F (around -1 °C) on Saturday morning.
Snow would be highly unusual in the normally warm temperatures of August, according to resort officials. The snow was visible even from the main lodge at Mammoth Mountain on Saturday, which hasn’t occurred before October since 2017, according to the resort’s website.
This was the first August snowfall for the resort since 2004. Due to overnight snowfall farther north, part of Highway 89 was closed as approximately 10 cm (4 inches) of snow was expected to accumulate on the road, according to the National Park Service.
Take a look at this rare sight: fresh snow falling in the Sierra in August. Palisades Tahoe shared this video, saying it marks the first August dusting of snow since 2004. Officials say August is typically one of Lake Tahoe's warmest months.
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) August 25, 2024
More on California’s bizarre summer… pic.twitter.com/8AKHO5LS7v
Very light snow was seen at the top of Palisades Tahoe’s Siberia Express at 2 652 m (8 700 feet), with temperatures in the low 30s °F (around -1 °C). The National Weather Service had previously indicated that 2.5 – 5 cm (1 – 2 inches) of snow could accumulate at Palisades Tahoe’s summit.
The snow wasn’t expected to last long, with the weather service predicting temperatures would rise on Sunday, August 25.
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!
— Palisades Tahoe (@palisadestahoe) August 23, 2024
Watch the winter weather roll in LIVE on our webcams here:https://t.co/ezmvzsRm3c pic.twitter.com/SnlIrweKgm
References:
1 Rare August snowfall dusts Sierra resorts, closes portion of highway –San Francisco Chronicle – August 24, 2024
2 Local resorts see rare August dusting – 2NEWS – August 24, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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