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3w ago

Winter Storm Warning Targets Sierra Nevada With Heavy Snow and Dangerous Winds

Forecasters warn of whiteouts that could make mountain travel life-threatening.

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SODA SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 04: Vehicles are covered in snow at Boreal Mountain Resort, currently shuttered due to the storm, following a massive snowstorm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on March 04, 2024 in Soda Springs, California. The four-day storm delivered as much as 10 feet of snow and wind gusts up to 190 mph in the Sierra Nevada, eliminating a ‘snow drought’ and significantly boosting the snowpack. On average, the Sierra Nevada snowpack melt provides about 30 percent of California's crucial water supply in a state which only recovered from drought last year. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • The National Weather Service posted winter storm warnings for high elevations in the Sierra Nevada, including the West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada, Western Plumas County and Lassen Park, and the Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon areas.
  • Forecasters expect 12 to 18 inches of heavy, wet snow above 4,500 feet with as much as 2 feet on the highest peaks, with lighter 2 to 4 inch totals possible down to 4,000 feet.
  • The NWS Hanford office cautioned that gusts could reach about 45 mph and that whiteout conditions could drop visibility below a quarter mile, making travel treacherous.
  • Officials urged people to delay mountain trips and prepare vehicles for winter driving because slick roads and sudden drops in visibility can strand drivers in exposed terrain.
  • The broader Pacific storm is spreading rain and mountain snow across the West, with the NWS expecting conditions to taper across the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies from late Monday into Tuesday.