A powerful blizzard that a meteorologist described as being 'as bad as it gets' howled in the Sierra Nevada mountains with wind gusts as strong as 190mph in the Lake Tahoe region, closing a long stretch of Interstate 80 and a 75-mile section of U.S. 395 in Northern California, forcing ski resorts to shut down, leaving thousands of homes without power.
More than 10 feet of snow was expected at higher elevations creating a 'life-threatening concern' for residents near Lake Tahoe and blocking travel on the key east-west freeway.
Blizzard conditions along I-80 saw hundreds trapped in their vehicles overnight, California Highway Patrol officers said with an estimated 200 to 300 vehicles stuck and unable to move.
Vehicles including everything from passenger cars to big rigs remained snowed-in from 5pm on Friday until 2:30am on Saturday morning over Donner Summit.
Eventually, tow trucks managed to get everyone out with no injuries, nor any vehicles having to be abandoned.
Kyle Frankland, a veteran snow-plow driver, said several parts of his rig broke as he cleared wet snow underneath piles of powder.
'I've been in Truckee 44 years. This is a pretty good storm,' Frankland said. 'It's not record-breaking by any means, but it's a good storm.'
Video shot by drivers traveling across theSierra Nevada could be seen in cars half-buried
Hundreds of cars were left stranded on I-80 near the Donner Summit with blizzard winds and heavy snow falling
It was complete white-out conditions with cars buried in several feet of snow
Sierra Nevada-California🇺🇸-2-3-2024 pic.twitter.com/7cw54gWv6l
— Çelik Sertbilek🌍 (@CSertbilek) March 3, 2024
Blizzard conditions with up to 12 feet of snow was predicted for the Sierra Nevada
Heavy snow was falling across northern California causing havoc on the Interstates
Most of California and the Pacific Northwest appeared to be affected by the storm
The dangerous winter storm could be seen slamming into the state of California
The storm buried California under its biggest snowfall of the year posing a significant danger to travelers
I-80 was just one of many roads and highways that experienced the wrath of the blizzard; a 75-mile stretch of U.S. 395, leading up to Mammoth Mountain ski resort, was also closed.
On Highway 50, between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, several collisions and car spin-outs left drivers stuck in another huge impasse.
The National Weather Service revealed that gusts reached a dramatic 190mph at an elevation of8,700 feet in Palisades Tahoe.
'It's a blizzard,' Dubravka Tomasin, a resident of Truckee, California, for more than a decade said. 'It's pretty harrowing.'
Snow totals by late Sunday are expected to range from 5 to 12 feet with the highest accumulations at elevations above 5,000 feet. Lower elevations were inundated with heavy rain.
He called the storm an 'extreme blizzard for the Sierra Nevada, in particular, as well as other portions of Nevada and even extending into Utah and portions of western Colorado.' But he said he didn't expect records to be broken.
'It's certainly just about as bad as it gets in terms of the snow totals and the winds,' Churchill said. 'It doesn't get much worse than that.'
A second, weaker storm was forecast to bring an additional 1 to 2 feet of snow in the region between Monday and Wednesday next week, according to the National Weather Service office in Sacramento.
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
Mammoth Mountain Ski area saw high winds and white-out conditions
A worker shared that he was 'small part of a team of employees' helping to clear snow from the exterior of the building at Mammoth Mountain
Brothers Bob and Ron Barrett, of Klamath Falls, from left, snowshoe in downtown Truckee, California on Saturday. They couldn't get their truck out of a nearby parking lot because of all of the snow
Jose Cervantes clears snow from Church Street in downtown Truckee,California
Snow is cleared from sidewalks in front of business during snow storm on Saturday in downtown Truckee, California
A worker digs out snow from a home north of Lake Tahoe during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains
A customer pushes their grocery cart through the snow to their car as a blizzard hits Mammoth Lakes, California
Snow is cleared from sidewalks in front of businesses during snow storm in downtown Truckee
Residents clear snow as it piles up during a storm, Saturday, in Truckee
Near Lake Tahoe, Thomas Petkanas, a bartender at Alibi Ale Works in Incline Village, Nevada, said about 3 feet of snow had fallen by midday on Saturday.
He said patrons shook off snow as they arrived at the brewpub and restaurant.
'It's snowing pretty hard out there, really windy, and power is out to about half the town,' Petkanas said. 'We're one of the few spots open today.'
Adele Attix said her husband spent the morning clearing their driveway while she worried about whether she would be able to open her consignment clothing store in Truckee. She said Saturdays are usually the busiest day of the week.
'I'd say more than anything, just knowing if we're going to open or not has probably caused the most amount of stress,' Attix said. 'I figured I'd come down here and check out the shop.'
Earlier, the weather service warned that blowing snow was creating 'extremely dangerous to impossible' driving conditions, with wind gusts in the high mountains at more than 100 mph.
A dog stands at a house's entrance which is covered with snow, in Truckee
Blizzard warnings were issued with snowfall of up to 12 feet and wind gusts over 160 mph
Snow covers the shore on Donner Lake, Saturday, in Truckee, California
A snow plow is used to clear a road during a storm, Saturday, in Truckee
Snow covers a set of traffic lights during a powerful winter story on Saturday, in Truckee
A person walks along Donner Pass Road as snow continues to fall in downtown Truckee
A restaurant remains open during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada
Mobile home community resident Victor uses a snowblower to clear a path to his home
Hailee Lind shovels snow from the shopping cart corral in the parking lot of Safeway in Camino, California
Residents try to clear snow during a storm in Truckee but it came down as quickly as it was cleared
A person walks during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains
William Membreno, of San Jose, puts chains on his tires along U.S. 50 near Camino. Chain controls were in effect from Pollack Pines to Echo Summit
A powerful blizzard howled Saturday in the Sierra Nevada as the biggest storm of the season shut down a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and gusty winds and heavy rain hit lower elevations, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power
Valentino Perez uses a snowblower in front of a restaurant north of Lake Tahoe
A house is covered with snow, in Truckee in this picture obtained from social media
A resident of a mobile home community shovels snow from their rooftop on Saturday
Union Pacific workers board a maintenance train clearing tracks of snow with a snowplow, known as a 'spreader'
Employee Randy Calvert clears a path outside Mountain Hardware & Sports during a snowstorm in Truckee
Avalanche danger was 'high to extreme' in backcountry areas through Sunday evening throughout the central Sierra and greater Lake Tahoe area, the weather service said.
California authorities on Friday shut down 100 miles of I-80, the main route between Reno and Sacramento, because of 'spin outs, high winds, and low visibility.'
There was no estimate when the freeway would reopen from the California-Nevada border west of Reno to near Emigrant Gap, California.
Travel was treacherous east of the Sierra, where CalTrans also cited 'multiple spin outs and collisions' and 'whiteout conditions,' as it closed 90 miles of U.S. 395 from near Bishop in the Owens Valley to Bridgeport, north of Mono Lake.
Mari Gonzalez, from Colombia, smiles as she watches the snow fall while stopping at a chain control site on U.S. 50 near Pollock Pines, California
A Union Pacific worker shovels snow near the railroad tracks
Route 395 is closed as a blizzard hits Mammoth Lakes in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas
A woman waits in a bus stop as a blizzard hits Mammoth Lakes in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas
A customer pushes their grocery cart through the snow to their car as a blizzard hits Mammoth Lakes
Heavy gusts of wind blow snow around a Carl's Jr. drive-thru in Mammoth Lakes, California
A person throws a snowball during heavy snowfall in Mammoth Lakes, California. The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for Mono County that is in effect through Sunday
A dog walks surrounded by snow, in Truckee in this video screengrab obtained from social media
A person rides a snowmobile during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Truckee, California
Adirana Chacon, of Walnut Creek, walks with her daughter Alicia, 2, to see the snow for the first time after stopping to put chains on their vehicle
Two people help push a car stuck in the snow in Mammoth Lakes, California
A house appears completely covered with snow, in Truckee
Moe clears his driveway along Highway 89 outside Tahoe City, California on Saturday
A house's entrance is covered with snow, in Truckee
Pacific Gas & Electric reported about 7,500 California homes and businesses without power at 6pm on Saturday. NV Energy reported power outages for about 1,500 customers in parts of northern Nevada, including Incline Village and Reno.
In southern Nevada the weather service issued a warning on Saturday for high winds gusting to 70 mph. NV Energy reported almost 29,000 customers without power in and around Las Vegas on Saturday, but by the evening the number had been reduced to about 16,000.
A tornado on Friday afternoon in Madera County, California, damaged an elementary school, said Andy Bollenbacher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford.
Some ski resorts shut down Friday and were digging out Saturday with an eye towards reopening Sunday.
A lone camper truck moves north bound on the I-80 at the Donner Pass Exit on Friday in Truckee, California, as the most powerful Pacific storm of the season brought more than 10 feet of snow
A view of snow blanketed welcome sign in Tahoe City, California, United States on Friday as blizzard warning issued for California's Sierra Nevada
I-80 westbound traffic is being turned around at the Nevada State line and eastbound I-80 traffic is being turned around at Drum Forebay due to spin-outs, high winds and low visibility. There is no estimated time of reopening the freeway
A funnel cloud was spotted in Madera Acres near Fresno, California on Friday
A mail truck drives as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains during a powerful winter storm
A person shovels as snow falls close to Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains
A dad was seen pulling his two young children on a sled at the Northstar Resort in Lake Tahoe
Men remove snow around their vehicles as snow blanketed Emerald Bay Road in Lake Tahoe, California, on Friday as the blizzard hit California's Sierra Nevadas
Snow is seen blanketing the dock in Lake Tahoe, California, as a blizzard struck
A view of snow blanketed road in Lake Tahoe, California as a blizzard warning was issued for California's Sierra Nevadas
Vehicles drive as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains
A person clears off their car as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe
A snowplow clears snow from roads in Lake Tahoe, California
A UPS vehicle is seen as snow blanketed roads in Lake Tahoe, California
Workers clear train tracks as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains during a powerful winter storm
A view of snow blanketed Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley, California, on Friday
A sign for Interstate 80 westbound is seen covered with snow in Truckee, California, just before authorities shut down 100 miles of freeway
Skiers ride the Village Express chairlift at Northstar California Resort as it snows in Truckee before the ski resorts were shuttered
A vehicle collided with a snowplow as snow blanketed roads in South Lake Tahoe, California
Snow and ice can be seen icing over the windshield as the storm hit
A person walks as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains
The area is expected to face a winter storm until some time on Sunday
A vehicle collided with a snowplow as snow blanketed roads in South Lake Tahoe, California
A view of snow blanketed Truckee River in Truckee, California
Blizzard warnings have been issued with snowfall of up to 12 feet and wind gusts over 100 mph expected in some higher elevation locations
A snowplow clear snow from roads in Lake Tahoe, California
Tractors and snow plows were out in force clearing snow from roads in the region
A view of snow blanketed roads in Lake Tahoe, California as a blizzard warning was issued for California's Sierra Nevada
A view of snow blanketed Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley, California
: A view of snow blanketed Truckee River in Truckee, California
A person uses a snow blower as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains
A person walks as another shovels as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada
A resident uses a snowblower as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains
Snow blows north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains
A train worker rides as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains during a powerful winter storm
The biggest snow storm of the season bore down on the Sierra Nevada, where residents were urged to take shelter and stay off roads as they prepared more than 10 feet of snow
The snow could be seen piling up at resorts in the Sierra Tahoe
Damaging winds were seen barreling into the area including here at theKirkwood Mountain Resort
A freight train passes through town as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada
Vehicles drive on I-80 as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains during a powerful winter storm on Friday
A view of snow blanketed road and tunnel in Truckee, California
Snow seen blanketing Donner Lake in Truckee, California
A resident can be seen using a snowblower as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe
Winds are expected to gust in excess of 115mph over Sierra ridgetops, and 70mph at lower elevations
Palisades Tahoe, the largest resort on the north end of Tahoe and site of the 1960 WinterOlympics, closed all chairlifts Saturday because of snow, wind and low visibility.
Other areas closed Saturday included Sugar Bowl, Boreal and Sierra. Heavenly Mountain Resort planned to open late with limited operations.
The storm began barreling into the region on Thursday. A blizzard warning through Sunday morning covers a 300-mile stretch of the mountains.
Some ski lovers raced up to the mountains ahead of the storm.
Daniel Lavely, an avid skier who works at a Reno-area home/construction supply store, was not one of them.
He said on Friday that he wouldn't have considered making the hour-drive to ski on his season pass at a Tahoe resort because of the gale-force winds.
Other areas closed Saturday included Sugar Bowl, Boreal and Sierra. Heavenly Mountain Resort planned to open late with limited operations
In southern Nevada, where the weather service issued a warning Saturday for high winds gusting to 70 mph, NV Energy reported more than 27,000 customers without power in and around Las Vegas. Pictured:Luis Apolinar attempts to dig out his vehicle
Some ski resorts shut down Friday and were digging out Saturday with an eye toward reopening Sunday
East of the Sierra, authorities cited 'multiple spin outs and collisions' and 'whiteout conditions,' as it closed 90 miles of US 395 from near Bishop in the Owens Valley to Bridgeport, north of Mono Lake
According to the South Lake Tahoe Government, the city's Public Works staff have already completed an anti-icing treatment of all of streets in anticipation of the coming storm
The dangerous blizzard continues to pound California , leaving tens of thousands of homes without power and forcing a long stretch of Interstate 80 to shut down. Pictured:A woman waits in a bus stop near Mammoth Lakes
Earlier, the weather service warned that blowing snow was creating 'extremely dangerous to impossible' driving conditions and extreme avalanche danger in backcountry areas through Sunday evening
The extreme blizzard could further extend into Utah and portions of western Colorado, according to Churchill, but he didn't expect records to be broken
There has been no estimate when the freeway would reopen, as the office suggests people to stay home in a series of posts
I-80, the region's major east-to-west roadway, has been shut down in both directions since Friday night with numerous cars and trailers being left stranded on the road
National Weather Service meteorologist William Churchill warned that the massive blizzard is creating a 'life-threatening concern' for residents near Lake Tahoe
A half-million people are under blizzard warnings, with another six million under winter weather alerts, as an additional one to two feet of snow is expected in higher elevations
Snow totals by late Sunday would range from 5 to 12 feet, with the most extreme conditions unfolding at elevations above 5,000 feet. Lower elevations will be inundated with heavy rain
The powerful storm has dumped more than three feet of snow across the Sierra Nevada range, with wind gusts over 100 mph in the Mountain West
But most of his customers Friday seemed to think the storm wouldn't be as bad as predicted, he said.
'I had one person ask me for a shovel,' Lavely said. 'Nobody asked me about a snowblower, which we sold out the last storm about two weeks ago.'
Meteorologists predicted as much as 10 feet of snow was possible in the mountains around Lake Tahoe by the weekend, with 3 to 6 feet in the communities on the lake's shores and more than a foot possible in the valleys on the Sierra's eastern front, including Reno.
Yosemite National Park closed on Friday. Officials said it would remain closed until at least noon Sunday.
