Vehicles drive on Interstate 80 as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada during a severe winter storm in Truckee, Calif., Friday.
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Mario Tama/Getty Images
Vehicles drive on Interstate 80 as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada during a severe winter storm in Truckee, Calif., Friday.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
A dangerous snowstorm expected to dump up to 10 feet of snow in parts of the Sierra Nevada has forced the closure of Yosemite National Park, at least nine Lake Tahoe ski resorts, a major interstate and knocked out power to thousands. Occurred.
The California Highway Patrol closed more than 50 miles of Interstate 80 from the California-Nevada border west of Reno to California's small reservoir northeast of Sacramento at 5 p.m. PT Friday. announced.
“Oh, it's closed!! Due to spinouts, high winds, and poor visibility, westbound I-80 will be turned around at the Nevada border and eastbound I-80 will be turned around at Drum Forebay. We are redirecting,” the CHP posted. X, formerly known as Twitter.
The CHP has not said when it plans to reopen I-80.
The National Weather Service forecast office in Reno, Nevada, advised against travel, but urged people who must drive to pack an emergency kit in case they are stranded for an extended period of time.
“Travel to the Sierra Nevada will be hazardous throughout the weekend with a life-threatening snowstorm expected into Saturday morning,” according to the NWS.
The agency announced Friday that snowfall could reach 4 to 6 inches per hour into Saturday morning.
More than 50,000 customers were without power in California and Nevada as of Saturday morning, according to Poweroutage.us.
The NWS has issued a blizzard warning for about 300 miles from north of Lake Tahoe to south of Yosemite National Park, saying the storm is expected to bring “extended periods of heavy snow and high winds, resulting in continued whiteout conditions.” He said there was. And visibility is almost zero. ”
The areas where a blizzard warning has been issued are as follows:
- until 4 a.m. Sunday in Lassen County, Eastern Plumas County, and Eastern Sierra County in California.
- Greater Lake Tahoe Area until 10 a.m. Sunday
- Mono County Sundays until 10 a.m.
The storm, which began pounding the region Thursday, brought wind gusts of up to 150 mph to the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada. The NWS has issued a high wind warning for central and central Nevada, with gusts of up to 115 mph expected until 7 a.m. Saturday.
The Reno Forecast Office also issued a backcountry avalanche warning for the Central Sierra slopes until 5 p.m. Sunday, recommending against travel there.
“Avalanches can travel long distances and may enter mature forests, valley floors, and flat terrain,” the NWS said.
Yosemite National Park is under a blizzard warning and will be closed until Sunday.
KUNR reporter Sophia Holm reported that snow plows are regularly plying the roads in Reno, Nevada.
Chris Slowinski and his wife, Kathy Ludwig, are experiencing their second winter in Tahoe and told Holm they are stocking up on food and gear.
“We have a generator and we're ready to go,” Slowinski said. “I mean, it's kind of nice not having anywhere to go, but we really don't have anywhere to go.”
Associated Press coverage was used in this report.
