Blockbuster #CaliforniaStorm to deliver crushing blow of 10 feet of #snow and #blizzard conditions

By Mary Gilbert and Elliana Hebert, CNN
February 29, 2024

"An extremely-dangerous winter storm has arrived in California and will unload feet of snow, powerful winds and rare blizzard conditions in the mountains through the weekend.

"The storm will bury California under its biggest snowfall of the year, posing a significant danger to travelers – but provide a huge boost for the state’s water supply and tourism.

"'There are only so many ways that we can say it will be treacherous to be traveling on the roads or even exiting your home during this [storm],' the National Weather Service [#NWS] office in #RenoNevada, warned Wednesday. '#Whiteout conditions are very disorienting, so this is not the time to gamble with you or your family’s lives.'

"Snow began to fall in the Pacific Northwest late Wednesday and spread into California’s Northern Coast Range, the #KlamathMountains and the Sierra Nevada early Thursday. As snow continues to spread across California, so will strong winds and blizzard conditions.

"Snowfall rates are expected to reach extreme levels of 3 to 5 inches an hour from Friday through Saturday – especially along the Sierra Nevada.

"The prolonged extreme snowfall means 6 to 10 feet of snow could bury parts of the Sierra in just a matter of two to three days.

"The most extreme conditions will unfold at the highest elevations, with #WindGusts in excess of 100 mph expected on the highest peaks of the Sierra in addition to feet of snow. Winds are expected to blow so hard that it may be difficult to measure snow accurately with the potential for huge snow drifts.

"Heavy snow and roaring winds are expected to combine to produce rare and long-lasting blizzard conditions for much of the Sierra and parts of the northern ranges. Visibility could plummet to near-zero, meaning it’s impossible to see farther than a few feet – or at all – in the most intense blizzards.

"Given these conditions, there is a 'high chance of substantial, long-lasting disruptions to daily life in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Friday through Saturday,' the Weather Prediction Center warned.

"Unlike other storms this winter, snow will fall well below pass levels for all impacted ranges. Close to a foot of snow is expected through the weekend for areas as low as 5,000 feet. Several inches are also possible for even lower elevations, including #RenoNevada. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph will be blowing through the lower elevations alongside snow.

"The intense conditions at lower elevations increase the risk of danger on the road.

"Travel will be 'extremely dangerous to impossible' across the Sierra through the weekend, the weather service warned. Parts of major roadways like #I80 could be shut down for long stretches. "

Read more:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/29/weather/california-storm-snow-blizzard-climate?cid=external-feeds_iluminar_msn