First Alert Weather: Thousands of Sierra residents still without power as another storm passes through NorCal

The weather conditions continue to result in closures and delays. Here's an update of what's closed and delayed: 

Closed

• Gold Oak Union School District
• Camino Union School District
• Yosemite National Park will remain closed through at least Sunday, March 12. Conditions will be evaluated daily, and the park will provide an update early next week. 

2-hour delayed start

• Amador County Unified School District 
• Pioneer Union School District
• El Dorado High School
• Union Mine High School
• Independence High School
• *1-hour delayed start: Grass Valley School District

After several spinouts and crashes closed down I-80 in the Sierra Monday evening, the freeway is back open to travelers in both directions.

The interstate was fully shut down between Alta in Placer County and the Nevada state line.

Chain controls are required for vehicles as traffic gets moving again.

Meanwhile, eastbound Highway 50 was closed neat Kyburz due to spinouts. There was no estimated time for the reopening of those lanes.

Caltrans said westbound I-80 was closed at the Nevada state line while eastbound traffic was being turned around at Alta in Placer County.

This was due to multiple spinouts and reports of big rig crashes along the stretch of the interstate.

There was no specific time on when the freeway would reopen.

Here are sandbag locations around El Dorado County as another storm is expected to arrive Thursday. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and locations are not staffed, so it is advised to take a shovel.

Station 89

3200 Country Club Drive,

Cameron Park, CA 95682

Station 85

1050 Wilson Boulevard,

El Dorado Hills, California, 95762

DOT Yard

4120 Ricci Road,

Greenwood, CA 95635

DOT Yard

3671 Missouri Flat Road,

Diamond Springs, CA 95667

DOT Yard

6701 Pony Express Trail,

Pollock Pines, CA 95726

DOT Yard

4770 Sandridge Road,

Placerville, CA 95667

Open tomorrow:

SAR Building

1834 Santa Fe Road,

South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

Monday school status in Foothills:

Closures

Pollock Pines Scool District

Gold Oak Union School District

Camino School District

Lake Tahoe Unified School District

Tahoe Truckee Unified School District

Amador County Unified School District

El Dorado High School

Union Mine High School

Independence High School

Pacific Crest Academy

Open

Grass Valley School District

El Dorado High School (2-hour delayed start)

Union Mine High School (2-hour delayed start)

Independence High School (2-hour delayed start)

Colfax High School (start at 10 a.m.)

Foresthill High School (start at 10 a.m.)

More districts will be added through the night once they make a decision.

Some travelers have finally been allowed to pass through Interstate 80 in the Sierra after heavy snow forced a lengthy closure this weekend.

The CHP Truckee said eastbound I-80 is open to passenger vehicles and essential trucks only. Chain controls are in effect from Drum Forebay to the Nevada state line.

Meanwhile, westbound I-80 remains closed at the Nevada state line with no estimated time for reopening.

For the latest road conditions, visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov.    

Caltrans said it's been slow moving for vehicles up Highway 50, with multiple vehicles getting stuck in snow banks. Chain controls were in place between Placerville and Meyers.

Meanwhile, over on Interstate 80, crews were still working to clear a 60-mile stretch of snow-covered roadway between Alta and the Nevada state line. That stretch of the interstate remains closed to traffic due to snow that won't let up.

For the latest road conditions, visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov.  

Pacific Gas and Electric said thousands of customers remained without power as another storm dumped heavy snow all across the Sierra.

Here are the latest outage numbers as of Friday evening.

Amador - 150 customers without power (restoration expected by midnight)
El Dorado - 1,150
Nevada - 6,515
Placer - 1,106
Yuba - 324
Sierra - 297 

PG&E said they don't have a clear estimated time for full restoration for all impacted customers but said it should come within the next three days.

For the latest outage news, log on to PG&E's outage page, here.

Caltrans said Interstate 80 was still closed Sunday between Applegate and the Nevada state line due to heavy snow and ice.

More than 30 inches of snow fell at Donner Pass on Saturday into Sunday morning, with some areas experiencing whiteout conditions.

At this time, it is still unclear when the interstate will reopen.

For the latest road conditions, visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov.    

Places like the Sierra Snow Lab and Sugar Bowl received approximately 31 inches of snow of a 24-hour span ending at 8 a.m. Sunday. During that same timeframe, other places like Kirkwood, Bear Valley, Palisades Tahoe and Sierra-at-Tahoe received anywhere from 14-17 inches, according to the National Weather Service Sacramento.

In terms of rain totals, places like downtown Sacramento, Oroville, Auburn and Sonora received around half an inch of rain. The highest rain total recorded for the region during that same timeframe was Shasta Dam at .88 inches.

The Red Cross has opened up shelters to assist those who have lost power due to the storms.

• Tuolumne County Resilience Center (Bay Street next to the Tuolumne Library)
• Grass Valley Veterans Memorial Building (255 S Auburn St, Grass Valley)

Food, drinks and some medical services are available.

Although the roadway has reopened, chain controls remain in effect.

As families in the high country hunker down during the storm, Placer County officials are warning people not to cut down power lines.

Pacific Gas and Electric says there are residents in the county who are taking matters into their own hands and have started cutting down power lines themselves.

They say this is extremely dangerous, especially with all the portable generators that are being used right now, and could result in death and put crews in danger.

Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue said on Saturday that it assisted in rescuing two people who were trapped in a cabin buried in snow near Kingvale.

The search and rescue team said they were called in when Truckee Fire personnel were unable to reach the area with their resources.

A snowcat dug under power lines that were only six feet off of the snow to reach the buried cabin, Tahoe Nordic said.

A heavy dumping of snow forced several Sierra highways to close Saturday afternoon, including Highway 267.

The closure impacted Brockway Summit between Northstar and Kings Beach, As of 4:30 p.m., that closure has been lifted.

Heavy snow has also forced a closure of Highway 49 stretching from Yuba County to Sierra County.

The closure is for the area between Marysville Road, near Coptonville and New Bullards Bar Reservoir, in Yuba County and the Highway 89 junction near Sattley in Sierra County.

The snowstorm has caused whiteout conditions in areas across the Sierra. Several highways across and over the mountain have seen closures Saturday.

For the latest road conditions, visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov.  

Another major highway in the Sierra, Highway 267, was forced to close down due to heavy snow falling across the region.

Caltrans said the closure was for the Brockway Summit between Northstar and Kings Beach. Visibility was low in the area.

Highway 267 runs from I-80 in Truckee to Highway 28 in Kings Beach.

For the latest road conditions, visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov.  

The CHP Truckee said Interstate 80 in the Sierra is closed in both directions between Colfax and the Nevada state line due to "adverse weather conditions and low visibility."

The closure went into effect at 2:25 p.m. and there was no clear time for when it would reopen.

Caltrans said crews were working to clear spinouts along the highway.

There was a rush to leave the Sierra on Friday as thousands of people headed home to beat the storm.

To make matters worse, traffic on westbound lanes was backed up for miles after a semi-truck overturned near Alta.

Read Brady Halbleib's full story here.

With more wet and snowy weather set to start rolling through Northern California this weekend, an overnight shelter will be open in Pine Grove beginning Saturday morning.

The Amador County Sheriff's Office said the shelter will be located at the Pine Grove Town Hall at 19889 Highway 88.

Anyone who may need to spend the night at the shelter and has small animals will be able to coordinate with Amador County Animal Services at 209-223-6378. A small animal shelter will be operating at the Animal Contro building on Airport Road in Jackson.

Those who are trapped in the snow can contact the sheriff's office at 209-223-6500 for assistance in getting out and to the shelter.

The next seven days are filled with rain in the valley and snow across the Sierra. Here's Chief Meteorologist Nic Merianos with the extended 7-day forecast.

Here are the school closures in place for Friday due to the storm:

• Silver Fork School District
• Grass Valley School District
• Georgetown School
• Otter Creek School
• Camino Union School District, including Camino School and Camino Polytechnic
• Pollock Pines School District

More schools are closed on Thursday due to the heavy snow creating unsafe road conditions for students and staff. 

Here are the additional schools that are closed: 

• Amador County Unified School District 
• Schnell Elementary School in Placerville Union School District 

There are currently 29,478 customers in the Sierra Division without power, according to PG&E. Crews are working around the clock to restore power to the affected customers. 

Extended outage customer support 

• PG&E is also partnering with the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers to offer support for older adults and people with disabilities. 
• They are also offering hotel stays and food stipends for customers. List of hotels below. 
  
• They are also calling their customers on the Medical Baseline program, providing 211 as a support line and referring customers to other resources based on their needs.

PG&E plans to provide a majority of their customers with an estimated time of restoration by Saturday. 

Recently, we've seen large amounts of snow cause roofs to collapse. Nic Merianos describes the amount of weight that snow can place on the roof of a home. 

Truckers anxiously waited for I-80 to re-open Wednesday evening. Eastbound lanes opened to passenger vehicles around 4 p.m. but the highway remains closed to semi-trucks due to slick road conditions over Donner summit. 

Hundreds of semi-trucks continue to line eastbound and westbound lanes on I-80 from Auburn to Applegate. Many of them were hoping Wednesday's sunny weather would allow them to pass. But CalTrans says the roads aren't ready.

Read more

Caltrans says westbound lanes of Interstate 80 are now open. Eastbound lanes opened earlier on Wednesday. Chain controls are in effect. 

Big rigs are still being held westbound at the Nevada State Line and eastbound at Applegate. 

Thousands of people in Nevada City have been without power since Tuesday morning and are preparing for more snow to come this weekend.

The shining sun Wednesday has allowed more people to be out and about to stock up on the essentials.

Read more

Residents in Olympic Valley had a scare after an avalanche barreled through a neighborhood and hit a three-story apartment complex.

It was just another Tuesday night for Randy Rogers. Snow piling up in the Olympic Valley and nothing new to report as emergency crews tended to the roads and highways. Then he heard the sirens. 

Read more.

School closures in Northern California continue on Wednesday due to the extremely unsafe road conditions. 

Here is an update on the school district closures in place:

• All schools in the Mother Lode Union School District (Placerville and El Dorado County)
• Black Oak Mine Unified School District
  
• Camino Schools
• El Dorado High School 
• Grass Valley School District    
  
• Union Mine High School 
• Independence High School 
• Pollock Pines School District
• Silver Fork School District
• Pioneer Union School District for Mountain Creek Middle School and Pioneer Elementary
• Foresthill High School 
• Colfax High School
• Sierra College Tahoe-Truckee
• Sierra College Nevada County campus 
  

Yosemite National Park remains closed, after being shut down on Saturday due to heavy snow. 

The park was supposed to reopen on Wednesday, but that has been pushed back as more snow has fallen since then. 

Crews are working to restore park services for visitor safety. For the latest conditions and updates, check the website and social media. 

HARD FREEZE WARNING & FREEZE WARNING (Wed & Thurs Morning):

Hard Freeze Warning issued for northern Sacramento Valley and Sierra Foothills

• Morning temps in the low-to-mid-20s

Freeze Warning issued for Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley

• Morning temps in the upper 20s to low 30s

Temperatures will be near record lows both mornings, perhaps nearing the all-time record low for March in downtown Sacramento. The all-time record low in Sacramento during the month of March stands at 29 degrees, set in 1880. We don't expect to break or tie this record but it will be close as the forecast low is 31 degrees for downtown. Having said that, these temperatures are right at the daily record low temperatures for cities like Sacramento, Stockton, Auburn, etc.

NEXT WINTER STORM THIS WEEKEND:

Impacts: Another storm will impact our area this weekend bringing the potential for another 2-4 feet of snow for the high Sierra. This storm may result in extended road closures, dangerous travel, chain requirements and low visibility. Additionally, the weight of the snow may overwhelm structures if snow from the last storm isn't removed.

Therefore, Sunday has been designated a First Action Day and we will provide extended storm coverage.

Timing: Saturday-Monday with the heaviest snow falling Saturday night into Sunday.

Weather Summary: We expect the storm to impact our area with several waves of heavy snow in the Sierra. The first wave will likely begin Saturday followed by a heavier round during the overnight hours into Sunday. Finally, a third round of winter weather may set in late Sunday through Monday with more heavy snow in the Sierra.

Snow levels will start off higher with the weekend storm, beginning around 3,000 feet and then lowering to 1,500 feet Sunday. Snow accumulations will be greatest above 4,000 ft with 2-4 feet possible at pass level and 1-3 feet of snow likely above 3,000 feet.

LONG RANGE OUTLOOK:

We are locked in a cold and unsettled pattern that will likely dominate through most of March with brief exceptions here and there. Overall, this pattern supports cooler-than-normal and wetter-than-normal weather for our region through much of March.

Around 24,500 customers were without power as a major storm dumped heavy snow and brought windy conditions across the Sierra Tuesday, Pacific Gas and Electric said.

The utility company said the areas impacted the most were Placerville, Grass Valley and Nevada City.

PG&E said it secured hotel discounts for customers experiencing extended outages. Those are listed below.

IHG Discount (Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza, Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites)

• To book go to www.IHG.com

• Use discount corporate code 787065960 when booking online.

• Discount: 14% off the Best Flexible Rate for all hotels in PG&E's service area.

• Time Limit for Discount:  Indefinitely

Wyndham Discount (La Quinta, Days Inn, Super 8, Ramada, Howard Johnson, Travelodge, Microtel, Hawthorn Suites, Wyndham)

• To book go to www.wyndhamhotels.com

• Use discount corporate code 8000002934 when booking online.  

• Discount: 15% off the Best Available Rate for all hotels in PG&E's service area.

• Time Limit for Discount:  Indefinitely

Choice Discount (Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Econolodge, Clarion)

• To book go to www.choicehotels.com

• Use discount corporate code 00977150 when booking online.  

• Discount: 20% off the Best Available Rate for all hotels in PG&E's service area

• Time Limit for Discount:  Indefinitely

Hyatt Discount (Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House)

• To book go to www.hyatt.com

• Use discount corporate code 180172 when booking online.  

• Discount: 10% off the Published Rate for all hotels in PG&E's service area.

• Time Limit for Discount:  Indefinitely

Sonesta (Sonesta Suites)

• To book go to www.sonesta.com

• Use discount corporate code PGESGP when booking online.  

• Discount:  12% off the best Available Rate for all hotels in PG&E's service area.

• Time Limit for Discount:  Indefinitely

A flood advisory has been issued for the area of Auburn down to Jackson and Rancho Calaveras and over west to the Stockton area.

The advisory, which is in effect through 7:30 p.m., is due to poor drainage in low-lying areas as heavy rain and snow continue to dump all across the region.

All the snow in the foothills and Sierra is making it difficult for some people who depend on propane to heat their homes.

Lisa Miranda has a family of ten to keep warm in Swansboro and her propane tank is empty. She told CBS 13 that they ordered a propane tank more than 10 days ago now from Ferrel Gas. She said her delivery is scheduled for this Friday, but she is not sure they can wait that long.

"We are surviving," said Miranda. "We are starting to get cranky, but we will endure."

Read Tori Apodaca's full story here.

The snow is piling up in Pollock Pines and Malinda Stewart had to make a quick trip up to Polaris St. 

"I'm at my grandma's house and she's going to be 94 in March," Stewart tells CBS13. 

Stewart is the only one in her family with a four-wheel drive car and snow tires that could make it up to Pollock Pines. She grew up in the house across the street from her grandmother and has experienced every variation of winter in the Sierra Foothills. Just off of Polaris Street, cars lined up to get back on Highway 50 which suffered intermittent closures all of Tuesday. 

"Few storms have been more storms more like the late '80s and early '90s so is actually normal for here but we've have not had this much snow in a while," Stewart explained. 

For those that live up here, it's a learning experience. Residents that are new to the area have their baptism by snowfall and then over time become seasoned veterans in how to handle a storm that can dump over feet of snow in a matter of days.

Read Andrew Haubner's full story here.

The CHP South Lake Tahoe division said Highway 50 at Echo Summit has reopened for westbound travelers. The eastbound lanes opened a short while after.

That stretch of the highway was completely shut down late Tuesday morning so crews could work on avalanche control.

Northstar resort now says they are staying closed on Tuesday due to the amount of new snow. 

While several ski resorts are closed on Tuesday due to the storm intensity, others are delaying their opening times. 

This come as the National Weather Service anticipates several waves of the storm that are forecasted to increase in intensity throughout Tuesday and into the early hours on Wednesday. 

CLOSED

• Sugar Bowl Resort 
  They aim to reopen on Wednesday. 
• Palisades Tahoe 
  Both sides of Palisades Tahoe are closed due to avalanche hazard and limited access on the mountain. 

• Kirkwood Ski Resort 
  Mountain operations teams are working hard, in hopes of being able to open on Wednesday.
• Sierra at Tahoe Resort
  They are allowing access to only essential personnel on Tuesday, as the crews hold down the fort with snow removal, lift, and facility maintenance. 

DELAYED OPENING

• Northstar California Resort 
  Their teams are working hard to open the resort, after having received 27 inches of new snow. There will be significant delays with their opening time. 
• Heavenly Mountain Resort
  Expect significant delays with their opening time as they are still in the midst of a blizzard warning from the National Weather Service. Upper-mountain lifts are unlikely today due to wind gusts of up to 100 miles per hour. 
  

According to Caltrans, Highway 50 is back open this morning, but drivers still need chains from 3 miles east of Placerville to Meyers. 

This comes after the highway was shut down on Monday for avalanche control work, which left drivers stuck for hours. 

Interstate 80 also remains closed to traffic in the Sierra and likely won't reopen until Wednesday, Caltrans says. 

Eastbound traffic is being held from Pollock Pines to Meyers for avalanche control work and multiple spinouts, Caltrns says. The highway will also not reopen until Wednesday. 

Here are the school district closures in place for Tuesday due to the storm:

• Alpine County Unified School District
• Amador County Unified School District
  
• Camino Schools
• All schools in western Nevada County
• Black Oak Mine Unified School District
• Lake Tahoe Unified School District
  
• Mother Lode Union School District. This will affect Placerville schools Indian Creek Elementary and Herbert Green Middle.
• West Point Elementary School in Calaveras County

El Dorado County schools closed Tuesday:

• Gold Trail Union School District for Sutter's Mill and Gold Trail
• Gold Oak Union School District for Pleasant Valley Middle School and Gold Oak Elementary
• Pioneer Union School District for Mountain Creek Middle School and Pioneer Elementary
• Independence High School
• Union Mine High School
• El Dorado High School

El Dorado County schools in session Tuesday

• Ponderosa High School 
• Oak Ridge High School
• Latrobe Union School District for Latrobe Elementary and Miller's Hill 

After a partial closure, Highway 50 is now open to passenger vehicles in both directions. 

However, due to the weather conditions, chain controls are in effect.

Yosemite National Park is closed through Wednesday due to ongoing severe weather in the area, and the National Weather Service has also issued a blizzard warning for the Yosemite Valley until Wednesday. 

According to officials, travel on all park roads is restricted to administrative traffic only, which includes all campgrounds and hiking areas inside the park. 

Interstate 80 remains closed from Applegate to the Nevada state line, and drivers are advised to use an alternate route. 

In the meantime, traffic on Highway 50 is being held from Echo Summit to Meyers due to avalanche control. Chains or snow tires are required from 3 miles east of Placerville to 3 miles east of Pollock Pines.

Chains controls are in place for all vehicles, except 4-wheel-drive vehicles with snow tires, from Placerville to Meyers. 

After a full closure between the state line and Colfax, Interstate 80 is back open to passenger vehicles in both directions.

With the harsh weather conditions in the area, chain controls remain in place.

Now, Highway 50 is closed to all traffic at 39 Mile Stone between Kyburz and Twin Bridges. There is no estimated time for the reopening of the highway.

Several schools across the Sierra Foothills have announced closures for Monday due to a storm event that is bringing heavy snow to the region.

Blizzard-like conditions are expected to bring several feet of snow over the next few days.

See a list of the announced closures here.

The rain and snow have picked up in the valley and Sierra over the course of Sunday, creating harsh driving conditions.

Caltrans said westbound I-80 was closed at the Nevada state line and eastbound I-80 was closed at Colfax due to multiple spinouts.

Additionally, Highway 50 has chain controls in place in both directions between Meyers and Point View.

With the snowfall increasing and roads getting slicker, chain controls were in place along major Sierra highways Sunday evening.

The California Highway Patro Truckee division said the restrictions were in effect for Interstate 80 for all travelers between Colfax and Truckee. Chains were also required on Highway 50 for a majority of the highway between Placerville and Meyers

Over on Highway 89, chains were required between Truckee and Tahoe City. On Highway 267, chains were required from Truckee to Kings Beach.

For the latest road conditions, visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov.  

After a decent break in the weather on Saturday, snowfall totals are expected to pick up with two more storms rolling through Northern California.

The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab said Sunday morning that it only recorded an inch of snowfall over the previous 24 hours. It expects to see an additional 6-9 feet of fresh powder through Wednesday with blizzard-like conditions expected during that stretch.

The first of two more storms has begun moving through Northern California on Sunday. Here's a preview of what to expect in the next few days.

First Alert Action Days: Monday & Tuesday

Sunday's storm:

This storm is bringing another round of valley rain and mountain snow. The snow levels will not be as low as our current storm and will range from 2,500-3,500 ft. The storm will produce the heaviest snow late Sunday and Sunday night.

Snow accumulations in the higher elevations are expected to range from 6-12" above 5,000 ft with 2-4 inches around 3,000 ft.

Rainfall in the valley will be light with most locations receiving less than a quarter inch of rain.

Monday's storm:

This storm, which is the third to impact the region since late last week, will bring valley rain and mountain snow to the area on Monday and it will linger into Wednesday. This storm will have a lot more moisture with it, meaning we can expect a lot more precipitation than the last couple of storms.

We are expecting moderate impacts for the Sacramento Valley and major impacts in the mountains with the heaviest precipitation occurring from Monday afternoon into Tuesday.

The valley can expect moderate to heavy rain along with a period of gusty winds. Rainfall amounts in the Valley are expected to range from 1-2 inches.

Snow levels will fluctuate between 2,000-3,000 ft with copious amounts of snow expected for the higher elevations in the Sierra, causing prolonged road closures and the potential for power outages.

As of right now, we are expecting 1-3 feet of snow above 3,000 ft and 3-6 feet for those above 5,000 ft.

Caltrans said Interstate 80 has fully reopened in Placer County where an 18-vehicle collision left five people injured.

The closure had completely shut down westbound I-80 from Truckee.

PLACERVILLE -- Drivers headed towards South Lake Tahoe on Highway 50 stopped in Placerville to put chains on Friday, as low elevation snow made road conditions slick and icy. 

Low-elevation snow fell in the region Friday, with snow showers set to linger into Saturday for the Sierra.

With the low snow, Placerville drivers without four-wheel drive had to pull off the roadway to put chains on — some with the help of their passengers or friendly strangers. One family headed toward South Lake Tahoe was prepared with chains but didn't expect to see chain controls start as low as Placerville.

Read the full story from Madisen Keavy here.  

Five people were injured in a multi-vehicle collision along Interstate 80 in Placer County, officials said Friday afternoon.

It happened shortly after 2:30 p.m. in the westbound lanes of I-80 at Drum Forebay Road. In total, 18 vehicles, including a Cal Fire pickup truck, were involved in the collision.

Full story here.

After reopening earlier this afternoon in the Sierra, a portion of Interstate 80 has shut down again after multiple crashes.

Caltrans District 3 said all westbound I-80 traffic was being turned around at the Nevada state line, while eastbound travelers were being held in Truckee.

For the latest road conditions, visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov.   

The tree fell onto the American Legion Memorial Building at 320 North Washington Street on Friday. Photos show that the trunk broke off a large chunk of the roof and that limbs were protruding through the ceiling of at least one room.

Read the rest of the story here: https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/large-tree-lodi-topple-fall-storm-wind/

A commercial truck was on Highway 50 when it caught fire. The truck was eventually pushed off the highway, debris was removed, and the roadway was reopened, according to Caltrans Dist. 3 

No one was injured in the incident.

Interstate 80 is back open to passenger vehicles, Caltrans says. Chain controls remain in effect from Applegate to the state line.  Trucks are still being held. 

Highway 128 at Pleasants Valley Road west of Winters in Yolo County.

Traffic has allowed Highway 16 between Rumsey Canyon in Yolo County & the Highway 20 junction in Colusa County to reopen. 

For the latest road conditions, visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov.  

Another highway has been shut down to the snow. 

Westbound Highway 128 west of Winters in Yolo County is currently closed, and traffic is diverted to Pleasants Valley Road. 

There is no estimated time for the roadway to reopen. 

All vehicles on the I-80, except 4-wheel-drive vehicles with snow tires, are now required to have chains on from Colfax to the Nevada state line. Trucks going East are being screened at Applegate, and drivers must have maximum chains in their possession in order to proceed. 

All trucks going West are required to stop at the brake check area that is located west of Nyack in order to reduce the risk of brake fires. 

A high wind advisory is currently in effect from the Solano/YOLO County line to the YOLO/Sacramento County line. Travel is not recommended for campers, trailers, or permit loads. 

Interstate 80 remains closed, with no estimated time of re-opening. The highway was shut down yesterday, when visibility dropped to zero.  

The storm will continue all day today through tomorrow, and travel in the mountains is highly discouraged. 

The icy and dangerous road conditions have also caused the closure of several schools today, including those in Black Oak Mine Union School and Camino Union School districts in El Dorado County. 

The following school districts are also closed due to snow accummulation: 

• Gold Oak Union School District for Pleasant Valley and Gold Oaks schools 
• Pioneer Union School District for Mountain Creek and Pioneer Elementary
•  Pollock Pines Elementary School District
  
• Silver Fork School District

For updates on road conditions, visit: https://roads.dot.ca.gov/roadscell.php and https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov. 

Upcoming Storms

• Storm 1: Now – Friday night
• Storm 2: Sunday PM and night
• Storm 3: Monday – Wednesday, heaviest Mon PM - Tue

New Today: A First Alert Action Day was added for Monday due to a larger storm that is expected to produce a lot more precipitation than the current storm.

Storm #1:

Storm #1 will continue to bring low-elevation snow to our area through Friday, with snow showers lingering into Saturday for the Sierra. Snow levels will fluctuate between 1,000-2,000 ft but may fall as low as 500 ft briefly (*in spots where precipitation rates are higher*) early Friday.

Additional rainfall amounts in the Valley are expected to range between 0.250.75" with localized amounts as much as one inch. Additional snowfall will range wildly with elevation. Snowfall is expected to range between 4-8" at 1,500 ft, 1-3 feet up to 3,000 ft and 2-5 feet for elevations above 3,000 ft.

Gusty south winds will be strongest in the Valley early Friday as wind gusts are expected to reach 45 mph, resulting in isolated outages. The wind speeds will gradually subside through the afternoon and evening.

Storm #2:

Storm #2 will impact our region on Sunday with another round of valley rain and mountain snow. The snow levels will not be as low as our current storm and will range from 2,500-3,500 ft. The storm will produce the heaviest snow late Sunday and Sunday night.

Snow accumulations in the higher elevations are expected to range from 6-12" above 5,000 ft with 2-4 inches around 3,000 ft.

Rainfall in the valley will be light with most locations receiving less than a quarter inch of rain.

Storm #3:

Storm #3 will bring valley rain and mountain snow to the area on Monday and it will linger into Wednesday. This storm will have a lot more moisture with it meaning we can expect a lot more precipitation than the last couple of storms.

We are expecting moderate impacts for the Valley and major impacts in the mountains with the heaviest precipitation occurring from Monday afternoon into Tuesday.

The valley can expect moderate to heavy rain along with a period of gusty winds. Rainfall amounts in the Valley are expected to range from 1-2 inches.

Snow levels will fluctuate between 2,000-3,000 ft with copious amounts of snow expected for the higher elevations in the Sierra, causing prolonged road closures and the potential for power outages.

As of right now, we are expecting 1-3 feet of snow above 3,000 ft and 3-6 feet for those above 5,000 ft.

Precipitation Summary:

Precipitation amounts for the next three storms below can be viewed in the image below. Overall, the valley can expect 1-3 inches of rain through next Wednesday. The higher elevations in the Sierra (above 5,000 ft) can expect another 4-8 feet of snow. 

Caltrans says that Interstate 80 is closed in both directions with no estimated time of opening. They say it's unlikely the freeway will reopen Thursday night. 

Traffic has been released on Highway 50. Caltrans urges drivers to be patient and stay on the highway. GPS guidance in the backroads could be inaccurate and even dangerous.

Highway 20 is closed in Nevada City.

Highway 49 is closed in multiple locations. 

For the last conditions from Caltrans, click here: https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

California is the only place experiencing severe weather on Thursday. 

Portland, Ore. was hit by a rare winter deluge. Almost a foot of snow fell -- making it the second snowiest day in the city's history. 

Traffic was stalled all around the city, and even the Portland Trail Blazers' flight to Sacramento, where they will take on the Kings later on Thursday, was delayed. 

Read more here.

Heavy snow has started in the Sierra and Caltrans is warning drivers to avoid traveling up the high country if possible. 

Due to low visibility and winds of 50 miles per hour, Sierra at Tahoe will close at 12pm on Thursday. 

Good news in anticipation - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting the storm to taper off into the weekend. 

Parts of the Bay Area not used to snow are also getting dusting on Thursday morning. 

In the Santa Cruz Mountains, children were seen making snowmen and throwing snowballs while drivers battled dangerous black ice over the Highway 17 summit. 

It's the first time in 12 years the National Weather Service had to issue a winter weather advisory for the region. 

Read more at CBS Bay Area. 

While many people in the Sacramento area celebrated what appeared to be snow falling from the sky, the National Weather Service was quick to teach people about the phenomenon known as "graupel." 

According to NWS, graupel is "snow that melts & becomes supercooled as it falls through a warm surface and forms what seem to be ice pellets."

Temperatures in the Sacramento Valley were too warm for true snow to form. 

Still, very low elevation snow is expected with this round of weather.