An Atmospheric River storm is forecasted to hit California in the next 24 hours. This storm is forecast to drop 1-3 Feet of Snow above 7,000-feet. Precipitation will start mostly as rain, but will quickly turn to snow above 5,500′. Winds are predicted to be high (100-125mph) on Sierra ridges.Â
NOAA is forecasting 12-24″ of snow at Lake Tahoe level and 1-3 Feet of snow above 7,000-feet. This all forecast to fall within 24 hours starting Wednesday night when Winter Storm Watch will be in effect.
According to NOAA Snow Forecast:
- 24-30″ for Kirkwood
- 18-24″ for West Lake Tahoe ski resorts
- 12-18″ for East Lake Tahoe ski resorts
- 12-24″ for Mammoth
- 12-24″ for Yosemite N.P.
Special Weather Statement
*ARRIVES WEDNESDAY, TAPERS OFF FRIDAY
*WIND: GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH IN THE VALLEY, 50+ MPH NEAR SIERRA CREST
*SNOW: 6-12 INCHES ABOVE 5000 FEET. 18-24 INCHES AROUND PASS LEVELS. UP TO 2 TO 3 FEET OVER HIGH PEAKS.
*DEBRIS FLOWS: HIGHEST POTENTIAL THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT
A SERIES OF STORMS WILL BRING A WET PATTERN FROM MID WEEK THROUGH THE WEEKEND…WITH PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW AS THE PEAK OF THE STORMS PASSES THROUGH. SNOW WILL FALL BELOW PASS LEVELS EARLY THURSDAY MORNING AND CONTINUE TO DROP FURTHER THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND BRING PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW TO THE SIERRA NEVADA. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR SOME THUNDERSTORMS. BURN SCARS FROM RECENT FIRES HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR DEBRIS FLOWS AND LEAVES CLOGGING DRAINS MAY CAUSE LOCAL PONDING OR FLOODING OF ROADS. BREEZY SOUTHERLY WINDS EXPECTED IN THE VALLEY WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH…GUSTS GREATER THAN 50 MPH ALONG THE SIERRA CREST. THIS COULD CAUSE LOCAL POWER OUTAGES AND WHITEOUT CONDITIONS OVER THE MOUNTAINS.
Winter Storm Watch
…HEAVY SNOW RETURNS TO THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADE RANGE AND NORTHERN SIERRA WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY…
.A STRONG WINTER STORM IS FORECAST TO AFFECT THE SOUTHERN CASCADE RANGE AND NORTHERN SIERRA BEGINNING LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING INTO EARLY FRIDAY. PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE RESULTING IN TREACHEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN PASSES OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA. HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION EXPECTED FROM EARLY THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 2 FEET OVER TRANS SIERRA PASSES WITH UP TO 3 FEET AT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER TO AROUND 4000 FEET BY THURSDAY EVENING WITH SOME LOCALLY LOWER LEVELS DOWN TO AROUND 3000 FEET.
…WINTER STORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT…
* MAIN IMPACT: MAJOR TRAVEL IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED OVER TRANS SIERRA ROUTES WITH TRAVEL DELAYS AND CHAIN CONDITIONS EXPECTED THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT.
* CONFIDENCE…MODERATE ON AMOUNTS AND TIMING.
* TIMING…SNOW BEGINS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND BECOMES HEAVY ACROSS THE NORTHERN SIERRA PASSES ON THURSDAY.
* LOCATIONS…INTERSTATE 80 OVER DONNER PASS… HIGHWAY 50 OVER ECHO SUMMIT… AND HIGHWAY 88 OVER CARSON PASS.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…18 TO 24 INCHES POSSIBLE ALONG THE CREST OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA PASSES WITH 6 TO 12 INCHES DOWN TO AROUND THE 5000 FOOT LEVEL. SOME ACCUMULATIONS DOWN TO 3000 TO 4000 FEET.