Inyo County, California Snow Totals
Snowfall Map
Date: Nov 4, 12:00 AM - Today, 12:00 AM.
Highest reported snowfall: 7 inches.
See how much snow fell around Inyo over the last 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours, from the National Water Center's National Gridded Snowfall Analysis. The analysis combines snowfall reports, high-resolution weather models, precipitation estimates, and temperature data. Drag the marker to see the snowfall at any other point.
Station Readings
These are the snow reports nearest Inyo for the selected date, collected by the National Weather Service's National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center from weather observers and automated stations. New snowfall and snow depth readings arrive throughout the day, usually within 24 hours of the observation.
Current Snow Depth
See how much snow is on the ground around Inyo today, from the daily SNODAS snow analysis. Drag the marker to see the snow depth anywhere in the United States.
Seasonal Snowfall Map
See all the snow that has fallen around Inyo this season, since September 30. The season total is updated every 12 hours from the National Gridded Snowfall Analysis. Drag the marker to see the season total anywhere in the United States.
Average Snowfall in Inyo
County Snowfall Records
Inyo County, California
These readings are the most snow ever recorded in one, two, and three days at weather stations in Inyo County.
The 1-day snowfall record for Inyo County, California is 38 inches on 2/22/1944, reported 87.1 miles away. The most snowfall in a 2-day period is 56 inches on 2/21/1917, and the most snowfall in a 3-day period is 73 inches on 2/22/1917.
Snow Totals for Towns in Inyo County
About Inyo County, California
Inyo County is a county in the eastern central part of the U.S. state of California, located between the Sierra Nevada and the state of Nevada. In the 2020 census, the population was 19,016. The county seat is Independence. Inyo County is on the east side of the Sierra Nevada and southeast of Yosemite National Park in Central California. It contains the Owens River Valley; it is flanked to the west by the Sierra Nevada and to the east by the White Mountains and the Inyo Mountains. Mono County is to the north. With an area of 10,192 square miles (26,400 km2), Inyo is the second-largest county by area in California, after San Bernardino County which is directly south of Inyo County. Almost half of Inyo County's area is within Death Valley National Park. However, with a population density of 1.8 people per square mile, it also has the second-lowest population density in California, after Alpine County.
Snowfall in the last 24 hours near you
Most weather websites forecast snow well. After a storm, it is often difficult to find out how much snow actually fell. This page collects the measured snow totals for your location in one place.
The data comes from the National Weather Service and its National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC), and from NOAA climate records. Coverage is for the United States.
How to find snow totals near you
- Allow location access when your browser asks. The page then shows the snow totals for your current location.
- To see a different location, type a city, address, or ZIP code in the search box.
- To see a past storm, select a date above the station readings.
- To check a different point, drag the marker on a map.
You can also find a city in the snow totals atlas. The atlas lists cities in each state.
What this page shows
Snowfall map. This map shows how much new snow fell in the last 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours. The data comes from the NOHRSC National Snowfall Analysis. This analysis combines snowfall reports, precipitation estimates, temperature data, and weather models into one map.
Station readings. These are measurements from weather observers and stations near you. Each reading shows the new snowfall and its time period, the snow depth, the distance and direction to the station, and the time of the observation. Most readings arrive within 24 hours of the observation.
Current snow depth. This map shows how much snow is on the ground now. The data comes from SNODAS, a daily model from NOHRSC that combines satellite, aircraft, and ground observations.
Seasonal snowfall. This map shows all the snow that has fallen since September 30. It updates every 12 hours.
County snowfall records. These are the largest 1-day, 2-day, and 3-day snowfalls on record at stations in your county. The records come from the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.
Snowfall and snow depth are different
Snowfall is the new snow that falls during a period of time, such as 24 hours. It does not include old snow on the ground.
Snow depth is the total snow on the ground at the time of the measurement. It includes old snow and new snow.
After a storm, snow depth is usually less than the total snowfall. Snow compacts under its own weight, and some snow melts or turns to vapor. For example, three days of 6-inch snowfalls can give a snow depth of only 12 inches.
Snow water equivalent is the depth of water that you get if the snow melts. On average, 10 inches of snow melts to approximately 1 inch of water. This ratio changes with each storm. For wet, heavy snow, the ratio can be 5 to 1. For dry, light snow, it can be 20 to 1 or more.
How snow is measured
Weather observers use a flat white board, called a snowboard, that they put on the ground before a storm. To measure new snowfall, an observer:
- Puts a ruler straight down into the snow on the board.
- Reads the depth to the nearest tenth of an inch.
- Clears the board and puts it back on the snow surface.
Observers measure on the board no more than four times in 24 hours, for example every 6 hours. The 24-hour snowfall is the sum of these measurements. If an observer measures less often, the snow compacts more before the measurement, and the total is less.
Snow depth is measured once each day in an open area, to the nearest whole inch. An amount of snow that is too small to measure is a trace.
Why snow totals can be different
Two snow totals for the same storm can be different, and both can be correct.
- Location. Snowfall can change much over short distances, especially near hills, mountains, and large lakes. Lake-effect snow can give 2 feet in one town and 2 inches in the next.
- Elevation. Higher areas often get more snow because the air is colder there.
- Time of the observation. Many observers report at 7 a.m. A storm that starts in the evening can be divided between two days.
- How often the snow is measured. Measurements every 6 hours give a higher total than one measurement at the end of a storm.
- Wind. Wind moves snow into drifts. Observers measure in several places and use the average, but drifts can make one reading too high or too low.
The snowfall map estimates the snow between stations. Use it to see the pattern of a storm. Use the station readings to see the measured values nearest to you.
When the data updates
- Snowfall map (6 to 72 hours): Several times per day
- Station readings: Throughout the day, usually within 24 hours of the observation
- Current snow depth: Daily
- Seasonal snowfall: Every 12 hours
Snow totals by city
The snow totals atlas lists cities in every state in the United States. Select a city to see its recent snowfall, station readings, and snow depth. For rain, see rain totals.