Summit forecast, next 72 hours
- New snow4.5 in
- Strongest gusts45 mphFriday
- Coldest26°F
| Forecast | Snow | Gusts | Temp °F |
|---|---|---|---|
| TonightMostly Cloudy then Chance Rain And Snow | 0 in | 40 mph | Low 33° |
| FridayRain And Snow | 1.5 in | 45 mph | High 37° |
| Friday NightSnow | 2.5 in | 45 mph | Low 26° |
| SaturdaySlight Chance Light Snow then Mostly Sunny | <½ in | 25 mph | High 37° |
| Saturday NightMostly Cloudy | 0 in | 15 mph | Low 25° |
| SundayPartly Sunny then Rain And Snow Likely | <½ in | 30 mph | High 37° |
Snow is the forecast new accumulation at the summit grid point. Dots use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
Typical weather by month
Monthly normals from the long-term stations nearest the summit. None sits exactly on the pass, so each column says how far away and how high it is.
| Month | Central Sierra Snow Lab 6,855 ft · 2 mi southwest of the summit | Donner Memorial State Park 5,937 ft · 6 mi east of the summit | Blue Canyon 5,276 ft · 20 mi west of the summit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precip (in) | High / low °F | Snow (in) | High / low °F | |
| Jan | 11.8 | 41° / 17° | 40.0 | 47° / 34° |
| Feb | 10.9 | 43° / 18° | 37.7 | 45° / 33° |
| Mar | 10.2 | 48° / 22° | 32.9 | 48° / 35° |
| Apr | 5.8 | 54° / 26° | 15.4 | 52° / 38° |
| May | 3.7 | 63° / 33° | 3.4 | 61° / 46° |
| Jun | 1.1 | 73° / 38° | 0.5 | 70° / 54° |
| Jul | 0.3 | 82° / 44° | 0 | 78° / 63° |
| Aug | 0.5 | 81° / 42° | 0 | 77° / 62° |
| Sep | 1.0 | 75° / 36° | 0 | 73° / 57° |
| Oct | 3.9 | 63° / 29° | 2.4 | 63° / 48° |
| Nov | 6.7 | 49° / 23° | 10.1 | 51° / 39° |
| Dec | 12.1 | 39° / 17° | 40.5 | 45° / 34° |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: Css Lab (USS0020K31S, 6,855 ft); DONNER MEM SP (USC00042467, 5,937 ft); BLUE CANYON AP (USW00023225, 5,276 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Cameras, road reports and winter rules
Conditions on the pass change by the hour, so these go straight to the official sources.
- For this passCaltrans I-80 highway conditions
- California · CaltransQuickMap conditions and cameras
- California · winter rulesChain controls
Check the official National Weather Service forecast for the summit and the road report before you leave.
Crossing Donner Pass? See the summit at the hour you’ll be there
Road Travel times the forecast to your drive, so you see conditions at the summit when you will actually reach it, and get alerts about weather ahead on the way.
Questions about Donner Pass
How high is Donner Pass?
I-80 crosses at Donner Summit, 7,239 ft above sea level.
How far is Donner Pass from Auburn and Truckee?
By road, the summit is 58 miles from Auburn, CA and 9 miles from Truckee, CA.
What is the snowiest month near Donner Pass?
December. Donner Memorial State Park (5,937 ft, 6 mi east of the summit) averages 40.5 inches of snow that month (1991–2020 normals).
How cold does it get near Donner Pass?
The coldest month is January. Donner Memorial State Park (5,937 ft, 6 mi east of the summit) averages a low of 17°F then (1991–2020 normals); the summit is 1,302 ft higher.