On January 11, 1949 the Laboratory (along with most of Los Angeles County) was blanketed by a heavy snowfall. According to the JPL employee newspaper, "It took approximately 24 hours for the snow to melt. In the meantime, employees brought out automobile tire chains and donned winter snow togs for the uncommon weather conditions. Such an event rarely occurs in sunny Southern California so Lab employees made the most of it while they could."

This photo looks east on what is now called Explorer Road, toward the area where the East Gate would eventually be built. The Engineering Building (#11), seen at right, is one of the oldest existing structures on the Lab.