With snow falling, driving in Sierra is ‘hazardous’ — and weather is expected to get worse
A Pacific storm moving across Northern California on Saturday is making driving conditions in the mountains hazardous, prompting the National Weather Service to discourage traveling into higher elevations.
“Snow has started to fall over the mountains. Conditions will continue to worsen this afternoon,” the Sacramento office of the weather service said in a tweet Saturday afternoon. “If you are traveling over the mountains, be prepared for slow travel and carry chains.”
The weather service said that snow levels dropped to around 2,500 feet in northern Shasta County on Saturday at about 1 p.m. and that Interstate 5 saw some snowfall.
“Conditions are expected to worsen,” the weather service said.
Caltrans says that chain controls will be in place throughout the duration of this weekend’s storm and advised drivers to follow posted speed limits for chains on Interstate 80 and Highway 50, as well as to carry appropriate supplies.
Snow and heavy winds are expected to continue in Northern California through Sunday, the weather service said. Moderate rainfall is expected in the Sacramento Valley.
In Sacramento, Regional Transit service was disrupted Saturday afternoon when a tree knocked out overhead lines near the 13th Street station, according Devra Selenis, a spokeswoman for Sac RT.
The weather also affected the Global Winter Wonderland exhibition at Cal Expo. Organizers posted on their website Saturday that the annual event would close for the season ahead of its scheduled Jan. 6 finale.
This story was originally published January 5, 2019 at 4:44 PM.