Winter storm closes 3 Tahoe resorts
Travel dangerous as snow pounds Sierra
A powerful winter storm continued to batter Northern California mountains on Sunday, with heavy snow, strong winds and dangerous, slippery driving conditions forcing several ski resorts to close for the day. Meteorologists forecast more snow showers for Monday.
A hefty 30.5 inches of snow over the prior 24 hours was measured Sunday by the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab, where officials said they were expecting an additional 2 to 4 feet through Monday.
At least three ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe area — Heavenly Ski Resort, Homewood Mountain Resort and Sugar Bowl Resort — were shuttered Sunday out of caution and for the safety of their guests and employees, resort officials said. Several highways, including Interstate 80 over Donner Summit, remained closed Sunday afternoon because of whiteout conditions. Caltrans officials said Sunday afternoon that crews were working to clear the roads, including the 24-hour total of more than 30 inches of new snow that covered Donner Pass.
“Roads are extremely treacherous in the Truckee area! Travel is highly discouraged!” the California Highway Patrol tweeted Sunday. “Heavy snow continues to fall with no signs of stopping and is expected to continue through tomorrow.”
Heavenly ski instructor Chris Brinlee Jr., was walking to the resort Saturday afternoon when he noticed a line of cars slip-sliding as they tried to drive out of the area.
“Pretty soon, it (became) a parade of out-of-control cars without any sort of winter traction,” he said.
More snow showers were expected Monday through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. A winter storm warning is in effect through 10 a.m. Monday for the Sierra Nevada, Coastal Range and Northern Mountains, the weather service said. An avalanche warning was
in effect for the central Sierra through 7 a.m. Monday.
The storm’s impacts will probably not be as intense as previous ones, but travelers should expect delays, said Cory Mueller, a meteorologist with the weather service.
“We’ll see on and off snow and travel impacts for much of the week,” he said. “But the worst of the storm is behind us.”
Thunderstorms, hail and strong winds struck the Bay Area Saturday night into Sunday. Residents reported hail Sunday in some areas, including on a highway in San Jose.
The Bay Area forecast called for more rounds of scattered showers, below normal temperatures and thunderstorms through Wednesday. The weather service said the North Bay has the highest chance of seeing thunderstorms.
Much of the Bay Area could see temperatures ranging in the 50s Monday. The coldest weather conditions were expected Tuesday and Wednesday night with lows in the 30s to near 40 along the coast and the bay, and upper 20s to lower 30s in the interior areas, the weather service said.
With more rain in the forecast, the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management reminded people to call 3-1-1 for non-life-threatening storm issues, and urged residents to sweep up leaves and debris from sidewalks and drains to keep storm drains from getting clogged.