California blizzard leaves residents tunneling out with more snow on the way: Live
Communities across the region were digging out after snow reached up to roof lines in some towns
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Your support makes all the difference.Snow continued to fall across parts of California and Nevada on Tuesday after a blizzard dumped up to 10ft of snow, shutting down major highways for three days and trapping people in their homes.
Isolated, light snow showers would continue across the Sierra Nevada until Thursday morning, the National Weather Service reported, but drier and warmer conditions were expected by the end of the week.
Communities across the region were digging out after snow reached up to roof lines in some towns, and trapped people inside. More than 7,500 customers remained without power in some California counties, according to utility tracker poweroutage.us.
Localized, heavy rainfall is expected on Tuesday for northern California with downpours moving into southern California on Wednesday. Due a recent glut of atmospheric rivers hitting the state, there will be the threat of isolated flash flooding, NWS reported.
More mountain snow expected even as powerful blizzard moves out of Northern California
Weakening wind but more snow after massive blizzard in the Sierra Nevada
Blizzard warning of up to 10 feet of snow in the Sierra could make travel 'dangerous to impossible'
Parts of the Sierra Nevada likely to get 10 feet of snow from powerful storm by weekend
West coast weather forecast: The latest
One more day of heavy snow in the mountains and at higher elevations is forecast in the West on Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported.
An influx of moisture from the Pacific was targeting northern California and the southern Pacific Northwest into the northern Great Basin and Rockies.
Several more inches of snow are forecast from the southern Cascades and northern Sierra east to the Tetons in Wyoming. A cold front has also brought snow to lower elevations from southern Oregon to western Idaho.
In northern and central California, snowfall will taper off on Wednesday. However, localized, heavy rainfall is expected on Tuesday for northern California with downpours expected in southern California on Wednesday.
Due a recent glut of atmospheric rivers hitting the state, there will be the threat of isolated flash flooding, NWS reported.
What is the Donner pass, the treacherous California mountain route notorious for cannibalism incident
Donner Pass, a stretch of road 7,088 feet above sea level in Nevada County, California, was hit with 80 inches of snow over the weekend as the state battled one of its most historic snowstorms.
What is the Donner pass, the California route notorious for cannibalism incident
California highway hit by historic blizzard over the weekend was the scene of a notorious 19th century disaster that led to cannibalism
2 snowmobilers killed in separate avalanches in Washington and Idaho
Two snowmobilers have been killed in separate avalanches in Washington state and in Idaho.
Two snowmobilers riding in the Cascade Mountains west of Yakima, Washington, triggered a slide Friday in a bowl near Darland Mountain, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center. The rider who did not survive was described as fully buried. The rider’s name wasn’t released.
“While we don’t know for sure, this avalanche likely failed on older persistent weak layers in the snowpack,” the organization said, adding that many other areas are dealing with the same problem. (Associated Press)
Avalanche threat
The Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center warned that there was “considerable” avalanche danger through Tuesday morning at 7am, local time.
“Unstable wind slabs ranging in size and sensitivity are today’s primary concern. The weak layers near the base of our snowpack may still be adjusting to the new snow load,” the avalanche center report read.
“Avoiding steep, wind affected slopes and overhead hazard is the best way to minimize your exposure today.”
California snowfall traps people inside
The Sugar Bowl Ski resort near Norden, California posted a video showing just how much snow they got this weekend - so much that they couldn’t get out of the front door.
The resort tweeted on Saturday that they had received 20-24 inches of snow. “We got some digging to do,’ they added.
And now for the good news...
California’s water from the snowpack is at 104 per cent of its normal level, after starting the year at 28 per cent, the UC Berkeley Sierra Snow Lab reported on Monday.
“We’re also at 94% of our April 1st normal and should get be able to get to 100%,” the research facility posted on X.
California’s extreme storm: The latest
A powerful blizzard that closed highways and ski resorts had moved through the Sierra Nevada by early Monday, but forecasters warned that more snow was on the way for the Northern California mountains.
A long stretch of Interstate 80 from west of Lake Tahoe over Donner Summit to the Nevada state line finally reopened to all but big rigs late Monday morning, but chains or snow tires were required, the California Highway Patrol’s Truckee office said. Closures or chain requirements also affected other highways.
More than 7 feet (2.1 meters) of snow fell in some locations and fierce winds lashed the Sierra over the weekend.
The last blizzard warnings expired before dawn Monday, leaving a few light Sierra showers, but winter storm warnings were issued for a new, less powerful system due to arrive later in the day and last into Tuesday night, the National Weather Service said. (Associated Press)
Meanwhile, further south...
Another round of stormy weather could be on the way for southern California, forecasters said on Monday.
The storm system could potentially move into the region between late Tuesday and Thursday, according to the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office.
Struggle to clear roads
Transport crews have been struggling to clear highways after many blowers and plows broke down in the face of extreme snow piles.
“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, north of Sacramento, reported on Sunday.
Lake Tahoe blanketed in six feet of snow as residents dig their way out of homes
Lake Tahoe blanketed in six feet of snow as residents dig their way out of homes
Roads have been shut and people left without power following an intense blizzard across parts of northern California. Highways and ski resorts were forced to close on Sunday (3 March) after six feet of snow fell in Lake Tahoe. Communities across the region were beginning to dig out from the snowdrifts which had reached the roofs of some homes, and trapped people indoors. More snow is forecast today (4 March), along with scattered thunderstorms, the National Weather Service office in Sacramento said.
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