First Alert Action Day: Storm rolls across Northern California, Sierra highway impacted

Shortly after 11 p.m., Caltrans said Highway 50 was back open over Echo Summit. Chain controls remain in place.

The weather is expected to remain calm through Friday with another storm rolling in as early as Saturday.

Caltrans said Thursday evening that Interstate 80 traffic had been released at Highway 20, though, big rigs were still being turned around.

Meanwhile, traffic on Highway 50 between Echo Summit and Meyers was at a standstill in both directions due to several spinouts. Caltrans said it is unknown when the highway will be reopened.

Heavy snow and slick roads brought traffic to a halt along multiple Sierra highways as a storm rolled through Northern California.

Caltrans and the National Weather Service have cautioned against mountain travel until the storm passes. The NWS said rain and snow may still be impacting the region through the overnight hours.

Check ahead for road conditions here.  

State Route 88, also known as Carson Pass Highway, which is located just south of Lake Tahoe, has reopened following a closure that was due to avalanche control, Caltrans said.

An avalanche watch had been issued for Thursday morning through Friday morning. The National Weather Service said this period has a high risk of avalanche danger.

Caltrans said more spinouts have occurred, which forced crews to turn all I-80 travelers around at the Alta exit near the state line.

Interstate 80 is back open in both directions at the California-Nevada state line.

The California Highway Patrol Truckee division said just before 5 p.m. that big rigs were still being turned around and crews were working to clear multiple vehicles that got stuck over Donner Summit. However, traffic is flowing again following what has been whiteout conditions.

Check ahead for road conditions here.

Here are the latest rain totals as of Thursday afternoon as the region slowly begins to dry up.  

Caltrans said late Thursday afternoon that westbound I-80 has reopened at the California-Nevada state line. Eastbound I-80 in the area remains closed with no estimated time for reopening.

Video captured the snow accumulating. The snow lab expects up to 30 more inches to fall by the time the storm passes.

Chief Meteorologist Nic Merianos has the latest on Thursday's storm.

Caltrans has announced that the freeway is closed eastbound at Alta and westbound at the state line. They urge drivers to avoid Sierra travel today, if possible. There's no estimated time for reopening the roadway. 

CBS13's Madisen Keavy is in the Sierra and showed us this light-hearted take on current snow conditions. Click here for more about Madisen. 

This was the scene at a Walmart in Carmichael Thursday where a portion of the parking lot flooded. Showers caused by an atmospheric river have drenched the Sacramento region. 

 We'll get a break from the rain Thursday afternoon. Click here for the latest forecast. 

Tracy Humphreys times out the rest of the storm. 

Caltrans now says that all traffic on eastbound I-80 is being held at Castle Peak and westbound at the Nevada state line due to multiple vehicle spin-outs. 

Also, drivers on Highway 32 east of Chico are subject to chain controls from Garland Rd in Butte County into Plumas County. Chains are also required on Highways 36 & 70 in Plumas. 

Visibility is bad at Yuba Gap along I-80.

A windy, winter storm packing heavy snow started moving into the Sierra Thursday, closing schools at Lake Tahoe, prompting a backcountry avalanche warning and snarling traffic on Interstate 80 west of Reno.

A winter storm warning remains in effect through 4 a.m. Friday from south of Yosemite National Park to about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Reno and Lake Tahoe.

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Madisen Keavy is in the Sierra, getting footage of the continuing snowfall. Big rigs are pulled over along I-80, hoping to wait for conditions to improve.

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Westbound Interstate 80 traffic is being held at the state line due to a jackknifed big rig, Caltrans reports. There's no estimated time of reopening. 

Tracy Humphrey has the First Alert Weather Forecast on this stormy Thursday.

Here's what you need to know:

• First of two storms is here
• Storm moves out this afternoon
• Dense valley fog moves in Friday morning
• Second storm arrives Saturday and extends into Sunday

The Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee has issued a backcountry avalanche watch due to a winter storm.

According to the National Weather Service, the watch is in effect from Thursday, 7 a.m. to Friday 7 a.m.

The area impacted will be the Central Sierra Nevada Mountains between Yuba Pass on the north (Highway 49) and Ebbetts Pass on the south (Highway 4), including the Greater Lake Tahoe area.

Traveling near or in avalanche terrain is not recommended. 

Photographer Dave Grashoff was in the Sierra showing us conditions along I-80. Travel in the mountains is discouraged this morning.