Update: Crashes shut down westbound I-80 again as snow pounds Sierra

TRUCKEE -- Interstate Highway 80 was shut down again in the westbound direction Friday afternoon due to heavy snow and multiple accidents after reopening in both directions several hours earlier as a potent storm continued to pound the Sierra.

The storm will stretch across three days, sending wind chills plunging well below zero and adding three feet or more to the already impressive snowpack.

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Caltrans announced at around 3:15 p.m. authorities were turning back all westbound I-80 traffic at the Nevada state line and holding westbound traffic in Truckee due to multiple crashes. Once again, there is not estimated time to reopen.

The closure follows earlier reports of a multiple vehicle crash between Colfax and Kingvale involving as many as ten cars and ten patients being injured. CHP confirmed a major collision but did not offer any details beyond the westbound closure at the state line and Truckee. 

The Truckee office of the CHP earlier confirmed that I-80 was reopened over Donner Summit in both directions to passenger vehicles only shortly before 11 a.m. Friday morning. Drivers were advised to take their time, slow down and increase your following distance in order to avoid collisions in the tricky driving conditions.

Many drivers who were trying to get to Tahoe had been stuck since Thursday. CHP said the storm is expected to continue all day Friday into Saturday. Travel in the mountains is highly discouraged during the storm.

Conditions had already deteriorated enough to stymie drivers trying to beat the storm up to Tahoe by early Thursday afternoon. Caltrans and the Truckee officer of the CHP confirmed that traffic was being turned back in both directions on Interstate 80 at around 1 p.m. due to spinouts and poor visibility. Eastbound traffic was being stopped in Colfax and westbound at the Nevada state line.   

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There was not estimated time to reopen I-80 given by authorities. Chain controls are in effect across the region. For updates on road conditions, travelers should visit roads.dot.ca.gov/roadscell.php and quickmap.dot.ca.gov.

Caltrans was also reporting that traffic was being held on Highway 50 eastbound at Sand Flat and westbound at Meyer due to spinouts, slides onto the highway and avalanche control by early Thursday evening.

Additionally, Highway 20 closed eastbound in Nevada City and Highway 49 is closed in multiple locations.  

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm advisory for the region until Saturday.

"Snow expected on Thursday into early Friday," the weather service in Reno warned. "Total snow accumulations of 4 to 12 inches, except 12 to 24 inches above 7000 feet. Winds gusting as high as 90 mph along Sierra ridgelines with gusts up to 35 mph in the Tahoe Basin."

The Sierra Avalanche Center also issued a Backcountry Avalanche Warning for the Central Sierra Nevada Mountains from Ebbetts Pass (CA-4) north to Yuba Pass (CA-49) that included the greater Lake Tahoe area. There is high avalanche danger through Saturday morning.  

The forecasters predicted the condition would whip up the waters of Lake Tahoe with waves ranging from 2 to 4 feet.

A second wintry blast with buffet the region on Friday through Saturday.

"Total snow accumulations of 8 to 15 inches at lake level and 1 to 2 feet at the Sierra crest," the forecasters predicted for the second pulse. "Winds could gust as high as 60 mph along Sierra ridgelines."

The winds and snow was also setting the scenario for danger avalanche conditions.

"High intensity, rapidly accumulating snowfall along with gale force winds may result in widespread avalanche activity in the mountains," the weather service warned. "Large avalanches could occur in a variety of areas."

The UC Sierra Snow Lab at near Donner Summit on I-80 already had a foot of new snow by 1 p.m. Thursday.

"We have had 16.5" of snow in the last 24 hours," the researcher tweeted. "Cold temperatures have given us light and fluffy snow with a snow-to-liquid ratio* of 16.5:1. We're expecting snowfall to increase today and tomorrow with another 3-4 feet by Saturday morning."

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