Does anyone else here get snow?

People think if you live in California, it is sunny all the time. Yes, we do get a lot more sun than the Pacific Northwest, our neighbors. Still, we do get snow every year here at our elevation at 3500', in the Sierra foothills.

Today is our first snow day of the season, though it has snowed quite a bit further up the hill. We only got a few inches, but we hear the weather report saying that it is supposed to snow down to Sacramento tonight, though I rather doubt it. It was like when I used to live in Los Angeles, we got a dusting of snow, just one year, in the many years that I lived there, but as a child it was a wondrous event.

Our elevation is about 12-1300', and we do occasionally get snow. Once in '68 or '69 while living Oceanside, it snowed there. It usually melts before it hits the ground though. Right now we are getting rain, but we may get snow tonight.
Mostly, it will get snow down to the 2000' level according to the weather forecaster.
The Coachella Valley near Palm Springs has more sunny days than any where else in the continental US. Still gets cold, and it still rains, but not as often.
skwinter, gets snow like you do.
It still is a wonderful event when it snows at our lower elevations. : - )
Be careful out there, the roads are dangerous!
WIB!
SW

We don't normally get snow, but there's been a bit of it around the Bay Area today. None at my house, but plenty of other places had a bit and the taller hills have quite a bit. And it's COLD!!!!

We occasionally get snowfall here in town, and usually see snow on the hills around us a few times a year. This morning they were all topped with white, and it was cold enough to last all day. Usually we don't get this weather till Jan or Feb!!

There's snow on Mt. Diablo.

I am glad I don't live where it snows. This is what happened to my daughter yesterday morning. She lives up near Shasta City around the 3500 ft level I believe.
She has a badly bruised sternum from the air bag, seat belt burn to her neck, a swollen lump on her right shin, a small abrasion on her nose, and a sprained right knee. Other than that, she's OK, just sore and freaked out. I thank God that she's alive and that her husband and kids were not in the car too.

This message was edited Dec 13, 2009 9:38 AM

The other driver, who suffered a fractured hip & pelvis.

Sue, I'm so glad it wasn't worse!! Hope she will be on the mend quickly---thank goodness for seat belts and air bags, despite the bruises!

She just sent me these photos, yikes!

side view

But I am happy to see her smile here, yesterday she was shaky and crying on the phone. Here you can see the bruises on her neck & chest that are starting to show up.

I'm sure she realizes how lucky she was----too bad about the vehicle, but it could have been so much worse!

All of the accidents that occur so much more frequently on icy roads and areas that have them have often made me wonder about insurance rates .....are they considered more at risk? Higher premiums and the idea that on certain days you're much better off staying at home...the risk of not just injury but what even minor accidents can do to your insurance. I lived a couple of winters in Iowa and did not care for sliding backwards downhill on icy roads, black ice in Washington invokes similar feelings. People who have to go out and drive under these conditions could easily have accidents every day it seems.

Oh, calif_sue, I am So sorry to learn of your daughter's accident. That is the trouble about snow and icy roads. Many who move to the "high country" are not fully prepared or even know how to drive safely on our roads. A lot of people think that they can drive "as usual", and the cautious ones sometimes get hit by those who are not being extra careful. It is a shame that there are not special driving lessons, widely available, before allowing those to drive in wintry conditions. We have accidents and many people drive off the sides of hillsides every winter. A lot of attention is paid for DUI, which is right and proper, but it would be nice to have more attention brought to those who must drive in unexpected wintry conditions as well. I have been up here for over 20 years, and I have been fortunate. I see many people passing me by, as I drive slowly when the weather is bad, and then I drive further, and see them stuck in a slide many times on the sides of the road, but I don't know about the ones who go over hillsides.

This really is an important issue as many can be seriously hurt, especially for those of us who are not prepared properly for winter driving. Does anyone agree with me?

I'm so glad that your daughter is OK Sue. What a scary accident.
We don't get snow here either except once about 35 years ago. My daughter who was 5 at the time asked me what happened to the lawn. :-)

It would be great if people in snowy areas had to take lessons on driving in snowy conditions. My daughter lives in Boulder and my granddaughter is getting lessons on how to drive in hazardous conditions.

No more scary accidents okay? My poor old heart can't take it. Thank God, Calif_Sue, your daughter and the other driver weren't more seriously hurt. I hope the other driver gets well soon.
Scary stuff.
You asked about snow. I didn't get any here, but you can see some on the San Jacinto Mountain near us. See photo.
Drive safe you all!
WIB,
SW

SingingWolf,
Am I seeing animals in that picture?

Brightstar,
Yup, there is a sentinel squirrel on top of those rocks. So you are seeing at least one. : - )
He doesn't alert on me. But he sure is scared of the dogs and the cats who sometimes accompany me on my walks.
WIB!
SW