CALIFORNIA – Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and Fresno face different winter weather risks heading into 2026-27. California’s historical annual snowfall averages approximately 31.72 inches across reporting weather stations statewide, although coastal cities rarely receive snow while mountain communities accumulate substantially more. El Niño does not eliminate snowstorms, dangerous cold or winter travel disruptions, which can continue through March.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), its October 15, 2026, outlook for December through February favors above-normal temperatures across northern California, while southern areas have less pronounced temperature signals. Above-normal precipitation is favored across much of the state, with probabilities generally ranging from 33% to 50%. These outlooks describe seasonal probabilities, not predicted snowfall totals or individual storms.
What California’s Snowfall History Actually Shows California’s 31.72-inch historical average represents statewide weather-station measurements, not snowfall specifically in Los Angeles or Sacramento…