Winter storm warning issued for Tahoe area as snow blankets Sierra Nevada. Are roads open?
Parts of the Sierra Nevada could see up to 30 inches of snow and wind gusts as high as 120 mph as a severe storm sweeps Northern California, according to the National Weather Service.
The weather service issued a winter storm warning early Friday for the greater Lake Tahoe area, warning of “major travel delays” and “near-whiteout conditions at times.”
“Travel could be very difficult to impossible,” the agency said in its advisory. “Very strong winds could cause extensive damage to trees and power lines.”
Here’s what you need to know:
When is winter storm warning in effect?
The winter storm warning will be in effect between 1 p.m. Friday and 10 p.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
Which communities are affected?
Communities affected by the winter storm warning include the cities of Incline Village, Stateline, Truckee,Tahoe City, Markleeville, Glenbrook and South Lake Tahoe, the weather service said.
How much snow will Tahoe area see?
Elevations below 6,500 feet will see snow accumulations of 3 to 8 inches, with 8 to 20 inches of snow expected above 6,500 feet.
Through Friday morning, Donner Pass had already received 12.2 inches this week, according to the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab, more than 9 inches of which had fallen in the 24 hours ending at 10:30 a.m.
Areas west of Highway 89 could see snow accumulations of 6 to 14 inches, with up to 30 inches along the Sierra crest.
In an X post, the weather service said 1 to 3 feet of snow will fall at elevations above 5,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades, while elevations above 3,500 feet in the Shasta County mountains will see 8 to 24 inches of snow.
As of 10:30 a.m., a total of 9.4 inches of snow had fallen over the past 24 hours at Donner Pass, according to the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab.
The lab recorded 12.2 inches of snowfall over the past 48 hours.
How strong will winds get?
The greater Lake Tahoe area will see winds between 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, according to the winter storm warning.
The weather service also predicted “ridge winds gusting up to 120 mph.”
On Lake Tahoe, wave heights could reach 2 to 5 feet, the weather service said.
“Small boats, kayaks and paddle boards will be prone to capsizing and should remain off lake waters until conditions improve,” the weather service said.
Where do you have to use chains in Northern California?
On Thursday morning, Caltrans issued chain controls for Interstate 80 and Highway 50.
“If you are planning on driving through the Sierra on I-80, be prepared for chain controls,” Caltrans District 3 officials said in a social media post.
As of 10 a.m. Friday, both roadways remained open but restrictions were in effect.
On Interstate 80, chains were required in both directions between Baxter, just above Gold Run in the west, to Truckee except for vehicles with four-wheel drive and snow tires on all four wheels.
Eastbound trucks were being screened at Applegate in Placer County, while westbound trucks were being screened 5 miles west of Reno at Mogul in Washoe County.
Caltrans was requiring all westbound trucks to stop at the brake check area half-mile west of Nyack in Placer County to reduce the risk of brake fires.
On Highway 50, chains were required on all vehicles except four-wheel-drive vehicles with snow tires from Twin Bridges to Meyers in El Dorado County, Caltrans said.
Chains and snow tires were also required on Highway 49 from Sierra City in Sierra County to the Sierra-Pluas county line and on Highway 89 from Picketts Junction in Alpine County to 2.7 miles south of the junction with Highway 50 in El Dorado County at the Luther Pass.
Caltrans urged drivers to “research chain control locations” as the agency works to keep them updated with Google Maps and Mapquest.
Are any roads closed in Northern California?
As of Friday morning, Highway 89 was closed from the junction of Highway 395 to the junction with Highway 4 at Monitor Pass in Alpine County due to snow, according to Caltrans.
The highway was closed for the winter from the south boundary of Lassen Volcanic National Park the junction with Highway 44 at the Lassen Loop in Tehama and Shasta counties.
Also closed was Highway 4 from the Mount Reba turnoff to Ebbetts Pass.
Motorists were advised to use alternate routes, Caltrans said.
This story was originally published December 13, 2024 at 10:49 AM.
