A winter storm in Northern California spawned a tornado on Friday, prompting a warning for people to seek urgent shelter.

The tornado was confirmed near Paynes Creek and Shingletown around 5:30 p.m. local time, the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office said in a warning Friday. A tornado warning indicating imminent life-threatening danger was active until 6 p.m., the warning said.

The weather service shared video captured by the University of California, San Diego, of a tornado passing over a grassy area.

The warning urged residents to take cover as flying debris and property damage were expected. According to the weather service, the warning covered parts of Tehama and Shasta counties, with an estimated population of 2,200 people.

A winter storm that brought heavy snow and strong wind gusts triggered the tornado, said Katrina Hand, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. There were no reports of injuries or damage, she added. A winter storm warning was in effect throughout the day, with 8 to 12 inches of snow in areas above 5,500 feet and a forecast of quarter-sized hail.

Tornadoes are not uncommon in this part of California and the region’s storms this time of year, Ms. Hand said. She added that the state averages about 10 tornadoes per year, most frequently in the northern half of the Central Valley, where Friday’s tornado was observed.

Less than a month earlier, the National Weather Service issued its first tornado warning for San Francisco. The city was spared, but one landed in nearby Santa Cruz County, where it knocked out power lines and caused vehicle accidents.