Photos: Winter storm turns Mendocino County into a snow-covered landscape

MENDOCINO CO., 2/21/26 — A winter storm moved through Northern California earlier this week, bringing heavy rain, hail and snow to Mendocino County.  

In communities like Willits, Brooktrails, Leggett, Covelo, Laytonville — and even Ukiah and Hopland — familiar roads, fences, doorsteps, grapevines and trees were softened under a white blanket. Where it didn’t snow, such as Fort Bragg, bursts of hail turned lawns and driveways bright and unexpected. 

The storm brought its share of challenges — slick roads, scattered power outages and school disruptions — but it also offered moments of stillness and reflection. Snow clung to redwood branches and created a fantasy land in nearby forests. Rural backroads were quiet but for the occasional hum and crackle of tires forging through mud or ice. Driveways that usually hold dust and gravel instead sparkled in frost. 

Readers across Mendocino County sent in photos capturing these small, fleeting scenes: flowers peeking out from snow-covered leaves, barns dusted in white, pets pausing to sniff curiously at the cold white stuff, children finding joy in snowflakes. In some places, accumulation was measured in inches; in others, the snow melted almost as quickly as it fell. 

Winter storms are not uncommon in Northern California, but measurable snowfall at lower elevations in Mendocino County remains an event that draws neighbors outside — phones in hand — to document it. For many longtime residents, it’s a reminder of the county’s varied landscapes, from coastal rain to inland mountain weather systems that can shift dramatically overnight. 

Below is a collection of reader-submitted images from around the county during this week’s storm.