Life-threatening blizzard conditions along the California-Nevada mountain range this weekend left vehicles stranded on dangerous roads as the storm dumped up to 10 feet of snow in some areas.
Winter weather has closed Yosemite and prompted the National Weather Service to warn against visiting ski resorts. Snow levels in Lake Tahoe are expected to reach 6 feet, although higher areas could see more. Meteorologists warned that driving conditions were considered “extremely dangerous to impossible” with low visibility and blackout conditions.
North of Lake Tahoe, on I-80, several vehicles were stuck overnight at Donner Peak, California Highway Patrol said. Police say it took several hours for emergency personnel and tow trucks to reach motorists due to blizzard conditions.
As of Saturday, transportation officials were working to recover vehicles remaining on the highway, the CHP said. There is no estimated time for the highway to reopen.
The eastern Sierra Nevada faces a high avalanche risk through Sunday evening, the NWS Reno office said.
Lake Tahoe ski resorts experience sustained wind gusts of 150 mph
Several ski resorts along the crest of the Sierra Nevada near the Lake Tahoe Basin experienced wind gusts between 125 and 150 mph for several hours, Scott McGuire, a meteorologist with the NWS Reno office, told USA TODAY.
In a blog post Saturday morning, Palisades Tahoe, which recorded high winds, said it closed all ski lifts Saturday due to wind, visibility and snowfall. Many other resorts were closed over the weekend due to the snowstorm.
“It's going to take several days to start reopening things, and we're not done yet,” McGuire said.
High winds affect multiple states
Las Vegas, located hundreds of miles south of Reno, experienced strong winds Saturday afternoon, leading to delays at Harry Reid International Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
On Saturday, the National Weather Service issued high wind warnings across desert areas in California, Nevada and Arizona until Sunday morning.
The NWS warning described southwesterly winds of 35 to 45 mph, with gusts of up to 70 mph, extending from Death Valley National Park, in California, through the Las Vegas area, and near the Grand Canyon, in Arizona.
Meteorologists expected that the winds would uproot trees and power lines, causing power outages and making travel difficult. in Social media sharingNWS Las Vegas said strong winds began whipping up dust south of the city, causing reduced visibility.
Heavy snowstorm restricts travel in California mountains
California authorities on Friday closed 100 miles of I-80, the main thoroughfare between Reno and Sacramento, due to the weather. There was no estimate for when the highway would reopen.
California residents have been advised not to travel to ski resorts in the Sierra region over the weekend NWS Bay Area The office said.
Meanwhile, the National Park Service announced that Yosemite National Park is closed until at least Sunday afternoon. A portion of the Generals Highway to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, east of Fresno, was also closed due to the winter storm.
Snow showers are expected to continue in the Sierra through Wednesday, when drier conditions may emerge later in the week, NWS Reno said.
Weather watches and warnings in the United States
National weather radar
Stormy weather elsewhere in the United States
The storm will bring more widespread rain to the East Coast on Saturday as thunderstorms impact parts of the Southeast, and rain heads toward Southern California.
A storm system from the central Gulf Coast, which impacted southern Appalachia and the Ohio Valley on Friday, has reached the East Coast, according to the National Weather Service.
“Some locally heavy rain is possible, especially north of the border in the southern interior and along the Carolina coast,” the weather service said.
Forecasters encourage caution for those traveling through the Pocono Mountains and northern New Jersey where ice and snow are likely.
The system is scheduled to exit the New England coast by Sunday morning.
In the south, heavy rain and storms are possible in parts of the Southeast coast heading into northern Florida and the Florida Panhandle through Sunday, the service said.
Across the country, Southern California will also see rain this weekend, and snow will fall at higher elevations. Strong southwesterly winds are also expected, with high wind advisories and advisories issued Dormitories Until Saturday.
Contributing: The Associated Press
