Weather
The season’s biggest storm is set to pummel California this week, potentially dumping up to 12 FEET of snow at elevations above 5,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada.
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The National Weather Service office in Reno issued a stark warning: “Even by Sierra standards, this is shaping up to be a highly impactful, major winter storm. If these snow totals hold, this will easily be the biggest storm of the season.”
A blizzard warning has been issued for the Greater Lake Tahoe Area, beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday through 10 a.m. Sunday.
…BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THURSDAY TO 10 AM PST SUNDAY…
* WHAT…Blizzard conditions likely, particularly from Friday evening through Saturday morning. Snow accumulations between 2 and 4 feet for Lake Tahoe communities, with 4 to 8 feet above 7000 feet. Winds gusting to 60 mph in lower elevations and above 100 mph over Sierra ridges.
* WHERE…Greater Lake Tahoe Area.
* WHEN…From 10 AM Thursday to 10 AM PST Sunday.
* IMPACTS…Whiteout conditions with near zero visibility at times due to blowing snow. The strong winds and weight of snow on tree limbs may down power lines and could cause sporadic power outages. Whiteout conditions are expected and will make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous. Do not travel. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay in your vehicle.
Donner Summit could see up to 100″ of snow. Communities along Highway 395 in Mono County, including Mammoth Lakes and June Lakes, may see between 1 to 3 feet of snow accumulation, while the Tahoe Basin faces the potential of up to 4 feet of snow, with more than 3 feet expected in South Lake Tahoe, Incline Village, and Tahoe City.
California’s ski resorts, which have had a below-average start to the season, could see multiple feet of snow, setting them up nicely for the rest of the season. According to OpenSnow, below are some forecasted snowfall totals over the next 10 days:
- Soda Springs – 92″
- Bear Valley – 91″
- Dodge Ridge – 89″
- China Peak – 87″
- Boreal – 83″
- Sierra-at-Tahoe – 82″
- Sugar Bowl – 77″
- Palisades Tahoe – 74″
- Kirkwood – 68″
- Mammoth – 54″
With winds expected to surpass 120 mph along ridge tops, blizzard conditions with near-zero visibility are likely, making travel dangerous. Forecasters have advised residents to use the calm weather preceding the storm to prepare adequately, warning that travel from early Thursday through Sunday morning may be nearly impossible.
In Southern California, the storm could bring a slight chance of rain to Los Angeles County on Friday, intensifying on Saturday and possibly lingering into Sunday. In the mountains, rainfall estimates range from 1 to 3 inches, with potential snowfall below 3,000 feet.
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