Incoming California Snowstorm Seen From Space

An incoming storm threatening to bring a rare August dusting of snow to California was captured with satellite imagery on Thursday evening.
A cold front is bringing temperatures more commonly associated with fall to states in the Midwest, Northeast and Pacific Northwest this week. In some cases, temperatures are dipping as much as 15 degrees Fahrenheit below average.
In addition to the cool weather, an approaching storm system is potentially bringing snowfall to California. If snow occurs, it will be the first time the high Sierra Nevada mountains have seen snow in at least 20 years, the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Hanford said. The most likely forecast region for snow is in high-elevation areas in Yosemite National Park.
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NWS Hanford posted the satellite loop on X, formerly Twitter.
“This satellite loop from #GOESWest shows a system approaching northern California this evening,” the post said. “This system will bring below-average temperatures to central California over the weekend and a chance for a dusting of snow in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.”
The loop shows a storm swirling northwest of California as it approaches the state.
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NWS meteorologist Dan Harty previously told Newsweek that if it falls, snow isn’t expected to stick around long, as above-average temperatures are expected to return next week. The highest chance for snow is along Tioga Road, a mountain pass through the Sierra Nevada that is typically closed in the winter. Drivers could encounter hazardous road conditions from the snowfall.
As of Friday morning, no winter-weather-related warnings or alerts were in place for California, although NWS Hanford told hikers and campers to be advised for winter-like conditions. NWS meteorologist Andy Bollenbacher told Newsweek that he doesn’t expect the incoming snowstorm to be strong enough to prompt the issuance of winter-weather-related alerts.
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There’s currently a 44 percent probability of trace snow falling, Bollenbacher said, which could catch some people off guard. However, the snow might not stick, given that ground temperatures take longer to cool than the atmosphere.
Bollenbacher said if it falls, snow will begin Friday night or Saturday morning.
In other California snow-related news, NWS Hanford shared satellite imagery that shows the stark contrast between Sierra Nevada snowpack in April compared to August.
“Take a look at the difference this summer has made for California. The first image shows the date of maximum snowpack in the Sierra Nevada on April 9th, with a stark contrast to the image taken yesterday, August 21st,” the post said.
Two images were included in the post. The first, from April, showed snowpack, while the second, from August, showed none.