Weather
Multiple storms are expected to impact travel in the Sierra leading up to the Christmas holiday. Here is a brief video overview of when storms are expected during the next week. No huge storms by Sierra standards are expected, but enough to impact travel in the Sierra several times during busy holiday travel periods. For more detailed information check out the Forecast Discussion – http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/getprod.php?wfo=rev&pil=AFD&sid=REV&version=0
Posted by US National Weather Service Reno Nevada on Friday, December 18, 2015
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3 winter storms are headed to California between now and Christmas Day. A Winter Storm Warning and multiple Winter Weather Advisories are in effect in the Sierra now through tomorrow.
“Multiple storms are expected to impact travel in the Sierra leading up to the Christmas holiday” – NOAA Reno, NV today
Preliminary snowfall accumulation forecast through Christmas. Amounts and elevations may change, but holiday travel will still likely be impacted. Please stay tuned for updates.
Posted by US National Weather Service Sacramento California on Friday, December 18, 2015
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3 STORMS for CALIFORNIA by CHRISTMAS DAY:
Storm #1 = Today & Saturday = 6-12″ of snow
Storm #2 = Sunday – Tuesday = a bit warmer storm
Storm #3 = Christamas Eve & Christmas Day = coldest and strongest storm of the 3
SNOWFALL FORECAST:
NOAA is forecasting 8-36″ of snowfall in the Lake Tahoe region between now and Christmas Day.
NOAA has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the west slope of the Sierra and Sierra crest that is calling for 6-14″ of snow today and tomorrow. Snow levels will stay below Lake Tahoe level.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...6-14 INCHES.* SNOW LEVELS...5500-6000 FEET THIS AFTERNOON...LOWERING TO 4500 FEET TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING. - NOAA Reno, NV today
NOAA has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Tahoe Basin that is calling for 5-10″ of snow today and tomorrow.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 5 TO 10 INCHES ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 89...WITH 2 TO 5 INCHES ELSEWHERE. - NOAA Reno, NV today
NOAA has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Yosemite/Mammoth region that is calling for 4-8″ of snow today and tomorrow.
* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 4 TO 8 INCHES...WITH AMOUNTS UP TO 11 INCHES POSSIBLE IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF YOSEMITE PARK. - NOAA Hanford, CA today
WINTER STORM WARNING for CALIFORNIA:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
441 AM PST FRI DEC 18 2015
...FIRST WAVE OF SIGNIFICANT SNOW ARRIVES TODAY INTO SATURDAY...
.THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF WINTER STORMS WILL BRING PERIODS OF
HEAVY SNOW TO THE SIERRA NEVADA TODAY INTO SATURDAY. AFTER A
BREAK IN THE RAIN AND SNOW SATURDAY NIGHT...ANOTHER WINTER STORM
EXPECTED TO SPREAD OVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ON SUNDAY. THE WET
PATTERN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY.
WEEKEND TRAVEL WILL BE IMPACTED WITH SLICK ROADS...TRAVEL DELAYS
AND CHAIN CONTROLS OVER THE SIERRA. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO PLAN
ACCORDINGLY. CALL 1-800-427-7623 (ROAD) FOR ROAD CONDITIONS.
WEST SLOPE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...BLUE CANYON
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS
AFTERNOON TO 4 PM PST SATURDAY...
* MAIN IMPACTS: SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY ROADS...TRAVEL DELAYS
AND CHAIN CONTROLS.
* SNOW LEVELS...5500-6000 FEET THIS AFTERNOON...LOWERING TO 4500
FEET TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING.
* TIMING...HEAVIEST SNOW FOR THE INTERSTATE 80 AND HIGHWAY 50
CORRIDORS WILL OCCUR THIS EVENING INTO SATURDAY MORNING. SNOW IS
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 BY LATE
THIS AFTERNOON...OVER HIGHWAY 50 AFTER 6 PM...AND OVER TUOLUMNE
COUNTY BY 10 PM.
* LOCATIONS...WESTERN SLOPES OF NORTHERN SIERRA ABOVE 4500 FEET
INCLUDING INTERSTATE 80... HIGHWAYS 50 AND 88.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...6-14 INCHES.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY for TAHOE BASIN:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
306 AM PST FRI DEC 18 2015
...MODEST LOW PRESSURE TO MOVE THROUGH NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND
THE SIERRA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY...
.LOW PRESSURE OVER THE PACIFIC WILL MOVE INTO CALIFORNIA ON
SATURDAY. THE SYSTEM IS MODEST BY SIERRA STANDARDS BUT IS STILL
EXPECTED TO BRING TRAVEL ISSUES TO NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND THE
SIERRA FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.
GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SOUTH LAKE TAHOE...TRUCKEE
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS
EVENING TO NOON PST SATURDAY...
* TIMING: SNOW WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH
SATURDAY...WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW LATE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY
MORNING.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 5 TO 10 INCHES ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY
89...WITH 2 TO 5 INCHES ELSEWHERE.
* IMPACTS: TRAVEL DELAYS WITH CHAIN REQUIREMENTS LIKELY FROM
LATE FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY for MAMMOTH :
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA 347 AM PST FRI DEC 18 2015 CAZ096-182200- /O.CON.KHNX.WW.Y.0015.151219T0900Z-151220T0600Z/ SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...SHAVER LAKE 347 AM PST FRI DEC 18 2015 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 PM PST SATURDAY ABOVE 5000 FEET... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD WILL ALLOW A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ABOVE 5000 FEET...FOR SNOW...TO REMAIN IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 PM PST SATURDAY. * ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 4 TO 8 INCHES...WITH AMOUNTS UP TO 11 INCHES POSSIBLE IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF YOSEMITE PARK. * TIMING...SNOW WILL BEGIN EARLY MORNING SATURDAY AND LAST THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SNOWFALL IS EXPECT TO DIMINISH AROUND MIDNIGHT SATURDAY. * IMPACTS...ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL HAZARDS. GUSTY WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH SNOW AND COLD TEMPERATURES TO CREATE LOW VISIBILITIES AND LOW WIND CHILL VALUES...RESPECTIVELY. * WINDS...SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. * TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOWER TO MID 20S.
A Pacific storm system moving into northern California today will bring rain and mountain snow today through Saturday. Winter storm warnings and advisories have been issued for the Sierra with lighter snow expected over the Shasta mountains and coast range. There will be a brief break in the precipitation Saturday night with another system expected to bring another round of rain and mountain snow on Sunday.
