1959 - The higher elevations in California were in the midst of a 5 day snowstorm. Some areas were overwhelmed by a mind boggling 15 to 16 feet of snow which had set a single storm record for North America.

Insolation - Insolation is the amount of solar radiation that reaches the earth and the atmosphere. The amount of insolation at a specific location varies due to the length of day and the angle of the sun. During the winter in the northern hemisphere, the shorter days compiled with the lower angle of the sun results in much lower insolation compared to what is received during the summer months.