A winter storm is clobbering the Sierra and it’s only the beginning according to the meteorologists at NOAA.
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The snow started in earnest over the holiday weekend and the next week should include snow totals being measure by the FEET not inches. So far, the National Weather Service in Sacramento is telling Tahoe residents to expect up to “several” feet at the higher elevations before snow levels start dropping on Tuesday night.
“A much stronger system is poised to hit northern California
this evening bringing strong winds and periods of heavy snow at the higher elevations. A period of higher snow levels Monday and Monday evening will limit snow impacts to the higher passes but these snow levels will begin falling again by Tuesday morning.” – NWS Sacramento
The storm is shaping up to be a classic as long as flooding doesn’t do too much damage before Wednesday. So as long as the roads don’t float away, expect Wednesday/Thursday to be some of the best days of the season!
LET IT SNOW!
Winter Storm Warning
…WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 PM PST TUESDAY…
* MAIN IMPACTS: TRAVELERS MAY EXPERIENCE LONG DELAYS. CHAIN CONTROLS LIKELY. POOR VISIBILITY DUE TO SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL MAKE TRAVEL HAZARDOUS. CONCERN FOR MUDSLIDES OVER STEEPER TERRAIN.
* Confidence…HIGH.
* LOCATIONS…INTERSTATE 80 OVER DONNER PASS, HIGHWAY 50 OVER ECHO SUMMIT, HIGHWAY 88 OVER CARSON PASS, AND LASSEN PARK.
* TIMING…LIGHT SNOWFALL TODAY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY HEAVIER SNOW THIS EVENING. THIS HEAVY SNOWFALL WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING BEFORE DROPPING OFF TO LIGHTER SNOW TUESDAY NIGHT.
* SNOW AMOUNTS…A FOOT OF SNOW EXPECTED DOWN TO ABOUT 5500 FEET WITH UP TO SEVERAL FEET OF SNOW POSSIBLE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS BETWEEN TODAY AND TUESDAY EVENING.
* SNOW LEVELS…SNOW LEVELS AROUND 5500 FEET TODAY CLIMBING TO AROUND 7000 FEET ON MONDAY AND MONDAY EVENING. SNOW LEVELS DROPPING ON TUESDAY DOWN TO 5000 FEET OR LOWER BY TUESDAY EVENING.
* Other impacts…HEAVY SNOW IN COMBINATION WITH GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE POOR VISIBILITY AND HAZARDOUS TRAVEL.
A Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Significant amounts of snow are forecast that will make travel dangerous. Only travel in an emergency. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Strong winds are also possible. This will make travel very hazardous or impossible.
