Once-in-a-Generation Winter Storm Paralyzes US West Coast with Record Snowfall

The west coast of the United States has been buffeted by a powerful winter storm system, dumping record-breaking amounts of snow in a phenomenon officials are calling “once-in-a-generation.” The snowfall, which has exceeded 40 feet in some areas, has brought entire towns to a standstill, with 13 counties in California under a state of emergency.

Portland, Oregon’s largest city, saw its second snowiest day in history, with almost a foot of snowfall, while the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, received a rare dusting of snow. “This rain and snow bucked the trend, and it’s highly unexpected,” said Ryan Maue, a meteorologist and former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “It’s like once in a generation.”

The effects of the storm can be seen across the region. In California, the extreme weather has left thousands without power, closed Yosemite and Joshua Tree national parks, and triggered avalanches. In Lake Tahoe, an avalanche hit an apartment building, forcing residents to evacuate. Miraculously, no one was injured in the 200-yard-wide snowslide, which engulfed the bottom two stories of the building.

Due to the treacherous conditions, officials in tourist destinations in the Sierra Nevada have urged visitors to stay home rather than risk travel on the dangerous roads. Yosemite national park, which broke a 54-year-old daily snowfall record, has been closed indefinitely. While the storm has overwhelmed the state, it has also helped ease California’s devastating drought. Just three months ago, the entire state was experiencing a drought, but now, according to the US Drought Monitor, more than half the state is out of drought.

Bianca Feldkircher, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, attributed the unusual snowfall to a persistent blocking pattern over the Pacific Ocean and cold air migrating south from the Arctic. “Not only were you getting significant snowfall in areas that already see snow, you were also seeing snowfall on lower elevations in southern California, which is super rare,” she said.

Feldkircher noted that this season’s snowfall is unlike anything seen before in the region. “It’s a one-of-a-kind event,” she said. While it’s difficult to attribute the unusual weather to human-induced climate change, Feldkircher warned that increasingly extreme weather is expected as global temperatures rise. “Heat produces moisture, moisture produces storms, and heat and moisture bind to produce even more severe storms,” she said.

Forecasting technology has improved significantly, allowing meteorologists to better predict extreme weather events. “In the near future, I do not think climate will cause issues with our weather forecasting capabilities,” said Maue. However, the recent precipitation has been a welcome relief for regions struggling with drought. California tends to alternate between periods of abundance and scarcity, making it essential to have water regulations, reservoirs, and water supplies in place to weather multi-year droughts.