@PChoate
"The event was capped by a warm intense storm that melted the high snow load. The resulting snow-melt flooded valleys, inundated or swept away towns, mills, dams, flumes, houses, fences, and domestic animals, and ruined fields. It has been described as the worst disaster ever to strike California."

That's actually coming up, because the snow hasn't melted and fresh snow is still dropping....

@lucifargundam It’s coming. Not this storm, but maybe in our lives. Today in a small number of spots the snow is truly deep. Mammoth Mountain area. But in 1862 it was the whole western continent. The accumulation started in November and then long warm rains in December or later iirc.

There’s some fun to read accounts from Californians in that year. Poverty Ridge in Sacramento is one of them.