California blizzard shuts down roads and ski resorts: Live updates - The Independent

California blizzard shuts down roads and ski resorts as heavy snow and winds continue: Live updates | The Independent

California blizzard shuts down roads and ski resorts as heavy snow and winds continue: Live updates

Blizzard warnings were issued for the Sierra Nevada through Sunday

Michelle Del Rey,
Andrea Cavallier Comments

An intense blizzard continues to batter northern California and Nevada with heavy snow and 100mph winds that has buried several areas up to 10ft of snow amid dangerous whiteout conditions.

Residents were urged to take shelter and stay off roads as California authorities shut down 100 miles of Interstate 80 after widespread blowing snow was creating “extremely dangerous to impossible travel conditions,” according to the National Weather Service.

They had no estimate when the freeway would reopen from the California-Nevada border just west of Reno to near Emigrant Gap, California.

Blizzard warnings were issued for the Sierra Nevada through Sunday night where more than three inches of snow falling per hour was expected. More snow is expected to hit the area Monday.

“High to extreme avalanche danger” is expected in the backcountry throughout the central Sierra, including the greater Lake Tahoe area, the weather service said.

National Weather Service meteorologist William Churchill said snow totals by late Sunday would range from 5 to 12 feet, with the highest accumulations at elevations above 5,000 feet. Lower elevations were inundated with heavy rain.
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‘We will be digging out for the foreseeable future,’ Tahoe ski resort says

Palisades Tahoe, the largest resort on the north end of the lake and site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, was among several ski mountains that closed most or all chairlifts for a second straight day Sunday because of snow, wind and low visibility.

Palisades reported a three-day snow total of 6 feet with more falling.

“We will be digging out for the foreseeable future,” officials said on the resort’s blog.

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Struggle to clear roads amid blizzard after blowers break down

Officials say crews are having difficulty clearing roads after many blowers and plows have broken down due to the severe conditions.

“We have been down to 2 of 10 blowers at our central hub in Kingvale and 6 out of 20 from Auburn to the Nevada state line. 80 remains CLOSED with no ETO,” Caltrans District 3 tweeted Sunday
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Blizzard conditions, monster winds and whiteouts continue in Tahoe
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Here’s how much snow has fallen in Central California

Officials released some 72-hour snowfall totals for Central California.

Another 1-2 ft is expected today in elevations above 4000 feet. The upper foothills may see 1-4 inches today.
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New storm approaches California after Sierra Nevada slammed with blizzard

A new storm is approaching the west coast after a blizzard slammed Sierra Nevada, Donner Pass, Truckee and Lake Tahoe over the past 36 hours, meteorologist Jason D Farhang wrote on Twitter.

“The forthcoming weather system is comparatively milder, with a moderate cold front gradually forming within the next 12 to 24 hours. Additional information regarding this system will soon be made available, revealing the emergence of a promising moderate surface cold front that will sweep through the region on Wednesday. Rainfall amounts from 0.45in to 1.2in is acceptable with the new system.”
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Blizzard temporarily traps vehicles on highway

Video shows cars being pulled out after being trapped in a snow sluff just east of Echo Summit.

The highway was closed for a short time this morning. There were no injuries and crews worked quickly to reopen the roadway.
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Blizzard Warning remains in effect until midnight

A Blizzard Warning remains in effect until midnight for elevations over 6500 feet, the NWS said.

A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect for elevations above 3000 ft, with another 1-2 ft of snow expected above 4000 ft. More snow is expected Monday and Tuesday.
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‘No estimated time of reopening the freeway,’ highway patrol says

More than 100 miles of I-80 remained closed Sunday from the Nevada border to Colfax, California.

There is “no estimated time of reopening the freeway,” the California Highway Patrol said.

On Friday, as the storm arrived, hundreds of motorists were trapped in their vehicles for hours.
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SEE IT: Video shows massive snow drifts at Lake Tahoe

Video taken by a local resident and posted online shows massive snow drifts at Lake Tahoe as a blizzard continues to slam Central California.
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National Weather Service warns of ‘life-threatening concern’ for Lake Tahoe residents

National Weather Service meteorologist William Churchill warned of “life-threatening concern” for residents near Lake Tahoe in a social media post on Sunday.

“Moderate to heavy snow has persisted overnight across the northern Sierra Nevada,” the National Weather Service in Sacramento wrote. “Wind gusts ... are continuing to result in blizzard conditions.”