Sacramento, CA – After a calm start to fall, the Pacific States could be gearing up for their first real taste of winter by mid- to late November, with mountain snow and coastal rain expected to increase ahead of Thanksgiving.
According to the NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) forecast issued October 24, 2025, California, Oregon, and Washington are trending cooler and wetter than normal through the second half of November. That means Sierra Nevada and Cascade snow could arrive early, while lower elevations see a return to steady rain after a dry October.
Forecasters highlight a series of Pacific storm systems likely to move inland between November 12–22, bringing heavy rain to Northern California and snow above 4,000–5,000 feet in the Sierra and Cascades. Travelers using I-80, Snoqualmie Pass, or Donner Summit should watch for potential chain controls and slick conditions.
For most cities, it means a wet but welcome pre-Thanksgiving pattern — signaling that the West Coast’s rainy season and the mountains’ snow season have officially begun.
