![Visible satellite image showing a beauty of storm about to hit CA. photo: noaa/nasa today at 4:20pm pst](http://snowbrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/vis-l-1.jpg)
NOAA has issued a Winter Storm Watch for California that is calling for 1-3 feet of snow on the west side of the Sierra Crest and Sierra Crest.
Snow levels will start high at 6,000-7,000 feet before dropping to 4,500-5,000 feet on Saturday.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE 5500 FEET. UP TO 3 FEET OVER HIGHER PEAKS. - NOAA Sacramento, CA today
![Snowfall forecast for CA friday- saturday. image: noaa, today](http://snowbrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/12540666_962142693821739_5578442891538910955_n.png)
![BLUE = Winter Storm Watch. image: noaa, today](http://snowbrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Screen-Shot-2016-01-20-at-4.27.06-PM.png)
Sugar Bowl ski resort is in the bulleye of this storm and they’ve already broken 300″ of snowfall this season.
Avalanche conditions have been crazy in Tahoe the past week.ย This new storm is only going to add instability.ย Make sure you check the forecast before going out:
![image: noaa, today](http://snowbrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/12540552_962142643821744_4817767153061157420_n.jpg)
WINTER STORM WATCH for CALIFORNIA:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
303 PM PST WED JAN 20 2016
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
4PM SATURDAY AFTERNOON...
WESTERN PLUMAS COUNTY/LASSEN PARK-
WEST SLOPE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CHESTER...QUINCY...BLUE CANYON
...MORE SNOW AND WIND FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ABOVE 5500 FEET...
.A STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW AND WIND TO THE
SIERRA FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES OVER THE SIERRA
RANGE WILL BE LIKELY SO CARRY TIRE CHAINS AND EXTRA
SUPPLIES.
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM FRIDAY MORNING
THROUGH 4PM SATURDAY AFTERNOON...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
* MAIN IMPACT...TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES AND DELAYS. CHAIN CONTROLS
LIKELY.
* TIMING...BEGINING EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...HEAVIEST FRIDAY EVENING.
* LOCATIONS...INTERSTATE 80 OVER DONNER PASS, HIGHWAY 50 OVER
ECHO SUMMIT AND HIGHWAY 88 OVER CARSON PASS.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE 5500 FEET. UP TO 3 FEET
OVER HIGHER PEAKS.