An extreme winter storm wreaked havoc over the weekend in parts of California and several Mountain West states. The powerful blizzard brought heavy snow and howling winds, with gusts reaching up to 190 mph – equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. As a result, hundreds of miles of highways were shut down and thousands of homes and businesses were left without power.
According to the National Weather Service, the storm, now in its third day, has reached “life-threatening levels” in certain areas near Lake Tahoe, making travel incredibly treacherous. The agency has also warned of high avalanche danger in the backcountry, and several ski resorts have been forced to shut down temporarily.
The California Highway Patrol has urged residents in the affected areas to stay at home and avoid putting themselves in dangerous situations. They also reminded drivers to have tire chains ready, as they are required to travel through the mountains.
The massive amount of snowfall, which has already reached 7 feet in some areas, is expected to continue through Sunday. A smaller system is also forecast to bring an additional 1-2 feet of snow to higher elevations on Monday and Tuesday.
NEW: California is getting wrecked by a massive snow storm with winds reaching up to 190mph and estimates of more than 10 feet of snow.
The conditions were so bad that hundreds of vehicles got stuck overnight on the I-80.
Some reports estimate that the weekend snowfall will… pic.twitter.com/uVKVlaU6l1
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 3, 2024
Some ski resorts, which typically thrive on major snowstorms, have been hit hard by the blizzard. Palisades Tahoe, formerly known as Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, recorded a wind gust of 190 mph, and employees have been working tirelessly to clear the snow and get chairlifts running again. Similarly, Sugar Bowl resort received a whopping 87 inches of snow – enough to cover an average NBA center.
Meanwhile, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in the eastern Sierra was forced to close due to strong winds of up to 70 mph, making it unsafe for ski patrol to conduct avalanche mitigation. However, the resort says that guests can expect some “terrific skiing” once they reopen.
A snow storm hinders traffic on one of the main roads in California.#snow #Snowfall #snowstorm #California #USA pic.twitter.com/Jc8nam9SO2
— Anil Kumar Verma (@AnilKumarVerma_) March 3, 2024
This extreme winter weather also brought a rare occurrence in Central California – two tornadoes touching down on consecutive days in different counties. While Saturday’s tornado in Corcoran did not cause any major damage, Friday’s tornado in Madera County damaged an elementary school.
According to meteorologists, this is the first time they have observed back-to-back tornadoes in this region, adding that they typically only occur once or twice a year.
While tornadoes are uncommon in California, they are not unheard of, with an average of 6.5 recorded annually since 1950. However, the two tornadoes that landed in San Luis Obispo County less than a minute apart last month were extremely rare, as it was the first such occurrence in the area in two decades.
Residents in the affected areas are advised to stay updated on weather advisories and avoid travel if possible.
UPDATE: Hundreds of cars stranded on I-80 near the Donner Summit…blizzard winds and heaviest snow of the storm starting. It’s a race to see if they can clear the interstate before cars get too buried. @bclemms #california #snow #blizzard #donnerpass #CAwx pic.twitter.com/6vOJkDmfDA
— Jonathan Petramala (@jpetramala) March 2, 2024
