POLLOCK PINES, Calif. — A winter storm that sent ski lift chairs swinging and closed mountain highways in the Sierra Nevada will push across the United States and reach the Plains by mid-week, bringing significant rain and below-average temperatures.
Marc Chenard, meteorologist at the National Weather Service at the national center in College Park, Maryland, said "it will be a busy week while this system moves across the country.”
Heavy snow fell in the Sierra Nevada while downpours at lower elevations triggered flood watches Sunday across large swaths of California into Nevada.
The Heavenly ski resort at Lake Tahoe shut down some operations when the brunt of the storm hit Saturday. The resort posted video of lift chairs swaying violently because of gusts that topped 100 mph (161 kph), along with a tweeted reminder that wind closures are "always for your safety.”
To the south, Mammoth Mountain reported that more than 20 inches (51 cm) of snow fell Saturday, with another 2 feet (.6 meters) possible as the tail end of the system moved through the eastern Sierra.
The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab in Soda Springs, California reported Sunday morning that more than 43 inches (110 cm) had fallen in a 48-hour span.
A 70-mile (112-km) stretch of eastbound U.S. Interstate 80 was closed Saturday “due to zero visibility” from the northern California town of Colfax to the Nevada state line, transportation officials said. Chains were required on much of the rest of I-80 and other routes in the mountains from Reno toward Sacramento.
Many other key roads were closed because of heavy snow, including a stretch of California Highway 89 between Tahoe City and South Lake Tahoe, the highway patrol said.
The U.S. Forest Service issued an avalanche warning for the backcountry in the mountains west of Lake Tahoe where it said “several feet of new snow and strong winds will result in dangerous avalanche conditions.”
In Pollock Pines, cars were left overnight in a busy grocery store parking lot. People who live in the area said they're used to winter storms and they're prepared for the snow.
Perhaps no one was as prepared as Chelsea Flores. In addition to the chains on her front tires, she also has a trunk full of other items so she's not stranded.
“I carry a spare in case these break. I also carry a snow shovel, gloves, an extra pair of clothes in case I do get stuck in the snow and I must keep warm, water, snacks,” said Flores.
And she's not just prepared on the road, but at home, too. She said the power briefly went out at her home.
“It did go out, but it was for maybe 15 minutes. My husband and I laughed because we were on it and they came back on, but it was a good trial run," she said.
