Snow brings Sierra travel warning
As a winter storm hit Northern California on Tuesday morning, weather officials urged travelers to avoid the Sierra Nevada because of difficult driving conditions and possible road closures.
A combination of heavy snow and gusty winds will make it very difficult to travel into the mountains through Tuesday night, which the National Weather Service ranked a major risk level.
Chain controls are likely, along with potential road closures with excessive travel delays. Low visibility is also expected, with whiteout condition at times. “Mountain travel is highly discouraged!” the agency’s Sacramento office tweeted.
“If folks do plan to go to the mountains, the road conditions should be better by this weekend, but getting out there even tomorrow can be a little dicey,” Scott Row, a meteorologist with the weather service in Sacramento, said on Tuesday.
The snowfall rate is estimated at 1 to 2 inches per hour through Tuesday night. Snow levels are expected to drop to 4,500 feet through Wednesday morning. An additional 1 to 3 feet of snow above 4,000 feet is expected in the Sierra, Southern Cascades and Coastal Range.
Light to moderate snow showers and a few thunderstorms are expected to linger in the mountains through Wednesday morning. An additional accumulation of 1 to 4 inches of snow is likely. Though the weather risk level in the mountains is expected to drop to minor on Wednesday, mountain travel impacts could continue until roadways can be cleared.
That’s potentially promising news for Mount Rose ski resort near Reno, which announced that it will open early this season, with several runs in operation this weekend starting Friday.
“As the week goes on, it should be a little bit better road condition wise, and cooler as well,” Row said. “Folks are always encouraged to check with Caltrans before heading out to check for any unexpected road conditions.”
Moderate to heavy rain is also expected in the Sacramento Valley and foothills through Wednesday morning. Slick roads and roadway ponding are likely to create difficult commute conditions, making commutes longer than usual, the weather service said. Thunderstorms are also expected to impact the area from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, but the risk level is minor, officials said.
Rain, frost and patchy fog are expected in the valley and foothills through Saturday. Weather in the mountains is expected to improve by Thursday. Similar weather conditions are expected the next several months, but it is unclear just how much rain and snow will fall, Row said.
“It is California’s wet season, so the big milliondollar question is how much rain and snow are we getting the entire season?” Row said. “That is an answer we don’t have, unfortunately.”