9,624′ Sonora Pass yesterday. image: Caltrans

California saw a healthy amount of snowfall yesterday during the day. Enough snow, in fact, to close 3 mountain highways and cause a 16 car crash. About 5″ of snow were recorded on Sonora Pass, CA. Snow levels dropped down to Lake Tahoe level during the day yesterday.

NOAA issued a Winter Weather Advisory that called for 3-8″ of snowfall during the day in California’s mountains yesterday.

8,730′ Ebbetts Pass yesterday. photo: CHP

Yesterday’s snow was enough to close 3 mountain passes in California and they are all still closed as of this writing at 5am PST.

9,945′ Tioga Pass (hwy 120)
9,624′ Sonora Pass (hwy 108)
8,736′ Ebbetts Pass (hwy 4)

CHP hopes to open all 3 of these passes this afternoon. Sonora pass saw about 5″ of new snow, according to Caltrans photos.

video of snow falling on Donner Summit in Lake Tahoe, CA yesterday

Chain controls were issued on SR-267 in Lake Tahoe, CA yesterday.

Highway 80 was also closed during the day yesterday for about 3 hours due to a 16 car crash in the westbound direction near Kingvale, CA. The crash occurred while it was hailing at around noon. Tragically, one person was killed in the accident and others suffered injuries.