East Bay residents woke up to a rare and exciting sight  mid Feb. 2026 when the top of Mount Diablo was covered in a layer of snow. This was a result of the cold storm that swept through the Bay, which delivered just enough snow to cover Mount Diablo, a phenomenon that does not occur every year.  Rising 3,849 feet, Mount Diablo is just high enough to catch bits of the winter storm and much of the region got heavy rain, Mount Diablo even getting a few inches of fresh snow. 

“It was exciting to see and hear about,” sophomore Aniek Eismann said. 

Meteorologists (scientists specializing in the study of weather patterns) say that Mount Diablo averages 1.2 inches of snow per winter. Conditions this year, however, were cold and moist, allowing for a noteworthy dusting. 

Social media was flooded with posts from locals making the trek up the mountain, or hosting gatherings to admire the views. 

While the snow was relatively light and limited mostly to the peak and high ridges, the experience was enough to attract hikers, photographers, and families eager to see the snow. Such snowfalls are a memorable reminder of winter’s presence in a region better known for sunshine and moderate temperatures. 

Experts say this light snowfall does not mean there is a big change in the region’s overall climate. Snow on Mount Diablo does not happen often, but it has happened before. It is simply a normal part of the winter, when temperatures are cold enough. 

As the temperature gets warmer over the next few weeks, the snow will quickly melt. The mountain will go back to looking the way it usually does: green and grassy with big trees. Still, for the people who hiked, took pictures, or admired the view, the snowy peak was a special winter sight to remember.