If you’re planning to do some driving around the mountains of California for Thanksgiving travel, you might want to reconsider your options. Several parts of the state are under serious winter storm warnings, with up to 7 feet of snow landing at higher elevations in some areas through Wednesday, November 27.
On the West Slope of the Northern Sierra Nevada and Western Plumas County, including the Blue Canyon, Chester, and Quincy, heavy snow is expected above 5500 feet through 4am on Wednesday, generally reaching 1-2 feet with a potential for up to 3 feet at the highest elevations. In Mono County, including the cities of Bridgeport, Mammoth Lakes, Coleville, and Lee Vining, 1-2 feet of snowfall is possible above 7,500 feet. Below 7,500 feet, those areas are still expected to see 1-8 inches.
In the Greater Lake Tahoe area, snow accumulations above 7,000 feet are looking to be around 1 to 2 feet, while areas on lake level will see closer to 1 to 4 inches. West of the lake could see totals closer to 4 to 12 inches. Wave heights up to 3 feet are possible on the lake itself.
The snow totals get a lot more intense on the Eastern Sierra Slopes, including the cities of Aspendell and Whitney Portal. A winter storm warning in effect until 10am on Wednesday has an expectation of very heavy snowfall above 7,000 feet. 1 to 2 feet of snowfall is possible up to 8,500 feet, while areas along the crest could see 3 to 5 feet. The highest peaks in the area could see around 6 feet of total snowfall.
Meanwhile, portions of Central California including Yosemite National Park outside of the valley, the Upper San Joaquin River, Kaiser to Rodgers Ridge, Kings Canyon National Park, Seqouia National Park, and the south end of the Upper Sierra, in addition to several cities in the area, could see above 1 and 5 feet over 7,000 feet of elevation, with the highest snowfalls reaching up to 7 feet at mountain peaks through 4pm on Wednesday.
Read more on California winter storm warnings here. Throughout all of this weather, travel could be incredibly difficult to flat out impossible. If you must travel, bring a flashlight and a winter emergency kit for your car. Wear plenty of layers if you must go outside, though remaining indoors is currently advised in many areas. Check your local weather and weather warnings before leaving the house or traveling.