Latest storm system continues to dump snow on Sierra; travel not recommended
TRUCKEE -- More snow pounded the Sierra Sunday as officials advised holiday travelers hoping to enjoy fresh powder at Tahoe ski resorts to postpone driving until after Monday evening.
The current forecast calls for additional accumulations of one to two feet of snow with snow levels in the 3,500-4,000 feet elevation range. Wind gusts up to 40-50 mph are expected at peaks.
The Caltrans District 10 Twitter account issued a travel advisory, saying drivers should wait until after 10 p.m. Monday evening to try to get to the snow given the dangerous conditions.
In addition to the type of whiteout conditions drivers experienced trying to get over the pass Saturday, travelers will face delays, possible road closures, chain controls and the danger of falling trees.
The Truckee office of the CHP tweeted out chain conditions and advised that roads were wet and slick. The post included photos of officers responding to a solo vehicle accident involving a box truck just west of the California-Nevada state line.
The University of California Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab tweeted Sunday morning that it received 21.5 inches of snow in 24 hours. Its snowpack of about 10 feet was expected to grow several more feet by Monday.
A backcountry avalanche warning was issued for the central Sierra, including the greater Lake Tahoe area, through Monday.
The fierce winter storm roaring over the Sierra this weekend brought traffic on mountain passes to a standstill, disrupting MLK holiday weekend ski plans.
Traditionally, the MLK weekend is one of the busiest 3 days of skiing annually as thousands from the Bay Area travel to the slopes.
Not this year. A series of atmospheric river storms since Dec. 26 have buried the Sierra. Just in the last week alone, Northstar has gotten more than 6 feet of new snow, Palisades Tahoe and Heavenly more than 5 feet.
"We are currently digging and preparing the mountain for the day after receiving over 14 inches of snow in the past 24 hours," Maddy Condon, PR coordinator at Palisades Tahoe emailed KPIX on Saturday. "That brings us to over 10 feet since January 1st and a season snowfall total of 320 inches."
By Sunday morning, resort officials said, up to 29 inches of new snow could fall on the slopes.
"Periods of moderate to heavy snow will continue across the Sierra today through this evening," forecasters with the weather service's Reno office said. "There may even be the occasional rumble of thunder across the Sierra crest and around the Lake Tahoe Basin late this afternoon as some marginal instability increases."
With winds combining with snowfall rates of 2-3" per hour with a brief duration of 4" per hour, avalanche fears were also elevated. An avalanche warning was in effect for the Tahoe region.
"A winter storm with gale-force winds, high-intensity snowfall, and heavy new snow accumulation will result in widespread avalanche activity in the mountains," the weather service warned. "Large avalanches could occur in a variety of areas."
