I-80 pileup kills 1 in early snowfall
Snow and hail brought winter driving conditions to the Sierra on the last full day of summer — the earliest that Caltrans officials could ever recall — leading to a fatal 16-car collision on Interstate 80.
The snow led to the chain-reaction pileup Thursday on westbound Interstate 80 near Cisco Grove (Placer County) that killed one motorist when his car rammed a tree, shut down the road for more than three hours, and created a backup of nearly 20 miles, a Caltrans spokeswoman said.
The snow also shut down Highway 4 over Ebbetts Pass and led to chain controls on Highway 88 over Carson Pass.
“This is the earliest we’ve had this kind of
“This is the earliest we’ve had this kind of snowfall.” Liza Whitmore, Caltrans spokeswoman
snowfall,” said Caltrans spokeswoman Liza Whitmore. “Last year, the first big snowfall wasn’t until the end of October. It’s always a challenge.”
In Yosemite National Park, Highway 120 over Tioga Pass closed briefly but reopened later in the day. The road to Yosemite’s scenic Glacier Point remained shut late Thursday but was expected to reopen.
An upper-level trough that passed through Northern California was responsible for the Sierra snowfall, along with lightning and thunder, said National Weather Service meteorologist Duane Dykema.
“It’s a little early for that kind of thing,” Dykema said.
Summer does not officially end until 1:02 p.m. Friday, at which time it will be replaced not by winter but by autumn.
The equinox notwithstanding, weather service forecaster Karl Swanberg said an additional inch or so of snow could fall in the Sierra on Friday.
“There’s a slight chance of snow in the morning and a better chance in the afternoon,” he said.
Whitmore said “a fair accumulation of snow” already was sticking at Donner Summit on I-80 and Echo Summit on Highway 50. About 100 licensed chain installers were ready to take up positions on the shoulders of I-80, but their services were not expected to be needed anytime soon, she said. When they are, the official rate this year will be $35 to put chains on and $25 to take them off.
In the Bay Area, skies will be sunny Friday with highs in the 60s and 70s. No rain is expected anytime soon.