Winter Storm Watch for California This Weekend | 15-24″ of Snow Forecast

A Gulf of Alaska storm is forecast to hit California on Saturday and Sunday and drop 15-24″ of snow on the Sierra Nevada.  NOAA has issued a Winter Storm Watch for California on Saturday & Sunday.  Snow levels are forecast to be a bit lower than the storm that just dropped up to 24″ of on California yesterday.  This storm is forecast to hit the Sierra Nevada top to bottom.

.ANOTHER WINTER STORM ORIGINATING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL MOVE
THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFONIA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. THIS SYSTEM
WILL BRING PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW TO THE SIERRA CASCADE RANGE
ALONG WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS. THE FIRST SNOWFALL WILL BEGIN
OVER LASSEN AND PLUMAS COUNTIES SATURDAY EVENING THEN DROP
SOUTHWARD DURING THE NIGHT. BY SUNDAY MORNING HEAVIER SNOWFALL
WILL BEGIN OVER THE NORTHERN SIERRA. SNOW LEVELS WITH THIS SYSTEM
ARE EXPECTED TO BE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM SO A
LARGER AREA IS LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED.  
- NOAA Reno, NV today

NOAA is forecasting 15-24″ of snow by Monday morning.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATION BY MONDAY MORNING ARE
  EXPECTED TO REACH 15 INCHES AT THE 5000 FOOT LEVEL AND UP TO 2
  FEET AT THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS. - NOAA Reno, NV today

This storm will be hitting the entire Sierra Nevada as well as the southern Cascades of California.  Here is what NOAA is saying about the southern Sierra:

“A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for the Sierra Nevada from Yosemite National Park through Tulare County above 5000 from Sunday afternoon through Monday morning. Snow amounts will range from 8 to 14 inches with 20 inches possible in some locations in the Yosemite NP area, to several inches in Tulare County. A dusting to a couple inches may also fall over the Kern County mountains above 5000 feet, especially in the Tehachapi and Frazier Park areas. If driving into the higher elevations be sure to carry chains. Many areas will be closed to vehicles without chains.” – NOAA Hanford, CA today

WINTER STORM WATCH for CALIFORNIA:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
532 AM PST FRI DEC 11 2015

...ANOTHER WINTER STORM HEADED FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SUNDAY...

.ANOTHER WINTER STORM ORIGINATING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL MOVE
THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFONIA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. THIS SYSTEM
WILL BRING PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW TO THE SIERRA CASCADE RANGE
ALONG WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS. THE FIRST SNOWFALL WILL BEGIN
OVER LESSEN AND PLUMAS COUNTIES SATURDAY EVENING THEN DROP
SOUTHWARD DURING THE NIGHT. BY SUNDAY MORNING HEAVIER SNOWFALL
WILL BEGIN OVER THE NORTHERN SIERRA. SNOW LEVELS WITH THIS SYSTEM
ARE EXPECTED TO BE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM SO A
LARGER AREA IS LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED. IN ADDITION...THE SNOWFALL
WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WINDS WHICH COULD CAUSE WHITE OUT
CONDITIONS AT TIMES FOR TRAVELERS OVER THE SIERRA. IF TRAVELING
OVER THE SIERRA CASCADE RANGE LATE SATURDAY THROUGH LATE SUNDAY...
BE PREPARED FOR WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS. CARRY TIRE CHAINS AND
OTHER EMERGENCY SUPPLIES AND EXPECT TRAVEL DELAYS.

WEST SLOPE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...BLUE CANYON

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT
THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...

* MAIN IMPACTS: TRAVELERS MAY EXPERIENCE VERY LONG DELAYS. CHAIN
  RESTRICTIONS PROBABLE. POOR VISIBILITY WILL MAKE FREEWAY
  SPEEDS VERY HAZARDOUS. STRONG WINDS MAY MAKE DRIVING
  DIFFICULT.

* CONFIDENCE...MODERATE

* TIMING...SNOWFALL BEGINNING OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE
  NORTHERN SIERRA LATE SATURDAY NIGHT WITH SNOWFALL CONTINUING
  THROUGH LATE SUNDAY. STRONGEST WINDS ON SUNDAY DECREASING
  SLOWLY SUNDAY NIGHT.

* LOCATIONS...THE NORTHERN SIERRA WILL SEE SNOWFALL ABOVE 5000
  FEET. THIS WILL LIKELY IMPACT ALL MAJOR NORTHERN SIERRA
  PASSES.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATION BY MONDAY MORNING ARE
  EXPECTED TO REACH 15 INCHES AT THE 5000 FOOT LEVEL AND UP TO 2
  FEET AT THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS.