Mother Nature returned to the Sierra delivering between 27″ to 48″ in the past 48hrs. This storm was not forecast to be a “storm of magnitude by Sierra standards.” However, Mother Nature had a little more in store than we had initially anticipated, leaving resorts throughout the Sierra #Stoked, but holiday travelers stranded. While the resorts around Tahoe are now back to mid-winter with the snow-pack building, roads were another entirely different challenge.
From I80 to HWY50 and over to SR88, highways in and out of the Sierra closed due to snow, wind, and white-out conditions stranding holiday skiers and riders overnight while CalTrans crews and California Highway Patrol, cleared accidents, plowed, and performed avalanche mitigation/control. CalTrans workers described the conditions as “treacherous” and CHP crews in a tweet describing the roads as “It’s total anarchy, and people are almost fighting in the middle of the roadway to get out.”
I-80 has reopened to WB/EB traffic. R-2 chain controls still in place from Kingvale to Truckee. Motorists should reduce speed for weather conditions.
— Caltrans District 3 (@CaltransDist3) January 7, 2019
The good news, my friends, is that we are back to mid-winter shape here in the Sierra, from Sugar Bowl to Kirkwood and down to Mammoth. The National Weather Service has us looking at an active and wet weather pattern over the next several days with more snow forecast Friday through Sunday.
Short Term Forecast:
Looking ahead at the weekend forecast, I’d recommend you get’yr gear ready and head on up for an excellent full-blown mid-winter weekend… If you desire to trek out in the Backcountry, please make a plan (ingress & egress), ride with friends, bring your gear, (Beacon, Pack, Probe, Airbag, and Shovel) have a phone or communication device and most importantly be safe.
For up-to-date avalache advisories here: Sierra Avalanche Advisory information: #SAC
Sierra Snow Totals:
#CostaSur:
- KirkwoodMtn:
24hr:16”
7day: 29”
Season to date: 137”
Base: 58”
- Sierra-at-Tahoe:
24hr: 14”
7day: 27”
Season to date: 112”
Base: 75” - BearValley:
24hr: 15”
7day: 28”
Season to date: 95”
Base: 65”
- HeavenlyMtn:
24hr: 12”
7day: 18”
Season to date: 80”
Base: 45” - MammothMtn:
24hr: 18”
7day: 33”
Season to date:145”
Base: 80”
#CostaNorte:
- Sugar Bowl:
24hr: 29”
7day: 36″
Season to date: 137″
Base: 80″
- Alpine Meadows:
24hr: 22”
7day: 34”
Season to date: 122”
Base: 74”
- Squaw Valley:
24hr: 29”
7day: 48”
Season to date: 147”
Base: 82”