Sierra gets first big dumping of snow of the year
Tuesday was a First Alert Action Day and snow hit the summit in the Sierra for the first big dumping of the year.
Snow and wind hit the Sierra like a one-two punch. The winter storm made the drive over the summit slow, and in some cases scary.
Francesca and Alex Lopez got caught in the treacherous conditions driving from Reno to Merced and decided to pull over for the night, rather than stay on the icy roads.
"We got too long of a drive to try to risk it," Alex said.
"Just really nervous just because I thought it was just rain, but then it started snowing and I'm telling my husband, 'It's snowing, it's snowing,' " Francesca Mares said.
Caltrans had their snow plows on the highways trying to keep mountain passes open.
The storm does mean a better business forecast at the Truckee Board House. Owner Shane Cintay's long wait for a big storm is finally over.
"We're definitely behind," Cintay said of the Sierra snowpack.
With Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's now behind us, this is the gift he's been waiting for – to break even on his bottom line.
"When you're into the first week of January and you have six inches of snow as a total, you know to just survive and be open next year," Cintay said.
But at long last, a winter blast is here.