California authorities closed 100 miles of Interstate 80 on Friday as the biggest snowstorm of the season swept through the Sierra Nevada.
Residents were urged to seek shelter and stay off the roads as they braced for snowfall of up to 3 meters in some areas and damaging winds of up to 230km/h.
“AAANNNDD WE’RE CLOSED!!!” The California Highway Patrol announced on X that the closure was due to “skidding, high winds and poor visibility.” “No estimated time for highway reopening.”
Authorities closed the highway in both directions after 5 p.m. on a day when most of the more than a dozen ski resorts around Lake Tahoe were closed, a tornado touched down in central California and visitors to Yosemite National Park were asked to leave .
A lone RV drives north on I-80 at the Donner Pass exit in Truckee, California, on Friday as the strongest Pacific storm of the season brought more than 10 feet of snow
A view of the snow-covered welcome sign in Tahoe City, California, USA, on Friday as a blizzard warning was issued for California's Sierra Nevada
Westbound I-80 traffic is being detoured at the Nevada State Line and eastbound I-80 traffic is being detoured at Drum Forebay due to spinouts, high winds and poor visibility. There is no estimated time for the highway to reopen
A funnel cloud was spotted in Madera Acres near Fresno, California
The 100-mile closure occurred along the state line west from Reno, Nevada, to near Emigrant Gap, California.
The California Highway Patrol, state transportation officials and other agencies reported throughout the day that troopers and others responded to dozens of collisions on I-80, with cars sliding into snowdrifts or becoming stuck on the side of slick roads.
There were no immediate reports of serious injuries.
A tornado touched down in Madera County before 4 p.m. Friday afternoon, said Andy Bollenbacher, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Hanford. It caused damage to an elementary school, he said.
The National Weather Service in Reno said late Friday that it expects the heaviest snowfall to arrive after midnight. Blizzards and blowing snow will continue throughout Saturday, which could limit visibility to a quarter mile or less.
A massive snowstorm will hit California on Friday. Residents were warned to prepare for snow depths of up to 12 feet and winds of 145 miles per hour
California's Sierra Nevada mountains were severely affected as snowstorms hit the area
Wind speeds of up to 145 miles per hour were recorded along the west coast mountain range, with visibility reaching near zero at times
A mail truck drives during a strong winter storm as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
A person shovels as snow falls near Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
A father was seen pulling his two young children on a sled at Northstar Resort in Lake Tahoe
Men remove snow from around their vehicles as snow covered Emerald Bay Road in Lake Tahoe, California, as the snowstorm hit California's Sierra Nevada on Friday
Snow is seen on the dock in Lake Tahoe, California during a snowstorm
A view of the snow-covered road in Lake Tahoe, California, as a blizzard warning was issued for California's Sierra Nevada
The storm began to hit the region on Thursday. The greatest impacts are expected to result in major highway closures and power outages from Friday afternoon through Saturday.
A blizzard warning is in effect until Sunday morning for a 300-mile stretch of the mountains.
Rick Grundy, manager of the Chevron Food Mart near Donner Lake, just off Interstate 80, said business was slow Friday – people seemed to have followed officials' advice and settled in.
After living in the Truckee, Calif., area for 20 years, he said he knows how to prepare for bad weather.
“We're pretty well stocked.” “We knew this was coming,” Grundy said. “One thing I've learned is that if you're not used to driving in this weather, if you're not used to being in this area, it's not a good idea. 'You should stay home.'
Forecasters predict up to 10 feet of snow could be in the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe by the weekend, 3 to 6 feet in communities along the lake's shores and more than 30 in the valleys on the eastern front of the Sierra, including Reno Foot .
Vehicles drive as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
A person clears their car as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe
A snow plow clears snow from roads in Lake Tahoe, California
A UPS vehicle is seen on snow-covered streets in Lake Tahoe, California
Workers clear train tracks as snow falls during a severe winter storm north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains
A view of the snow-covered Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley, California, on Friday
In Truckee, California, a westbound Interstate 80 sign can be seen covered in snow just before authorities closed 100 miles of the highway
Skiers ride the Village Express chairlift at Northstar California Resort as it snows in Truckee before ski resorts closed
A vehicle collided with a snow plow as snow covered roads in South Lake Tahoe, California
Snow and ice could be seen on the windshield during the storm
A person walks as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
The area is expected to experience a winter storm until sometime Sunday
A vehicle collided with a snow plow as snow covered roads in South Lake Tahoe, California
A view of the snow-covered Truckee River in Truckee, California
Blizzard warnings have been issued, with snowfalls of up to 12 feet and wind gusts of over 100 miles per hour expected in some higher elevation locations
A snow plow clears snow from the streets in Lake Tahoe, California
Tractors and snow plows were used to clear snow from roads in the area
A view of snow-covered roads in Lake Tahoe, California, as a blizzard warning was issued for California's Sierra Nevada
A view of the snow-covered Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley, California
Wind gusts of over 180 km/h are expected over the Sierra ridges and gusts of over 115 km/h are expected at lower elevations.
Backcountry avalanche warnings were in effect in various areas. All visitors to Yosemite should leave the park starting at noon Friday, with the park closed until at least noon Sunday. More than 7 feet of snow was expected to fall in some areas.
Many ski resorts in Lake Tahoe said they remained closed Friday because of the terrible conditions.
But the snow wasn't all bad news for the resorts. Palisades Tahoe Ski Area said the large dump expected over the weekend on top of 8 feet of snow in February should allow them to keep the slopes open through Memorial Day.
In South Lake Tahoe, the lunchtime crowd at Heidi's Pancake House was a third of the typical 60 guests.
Despite the worsening forecast, General Manager Salvador Ortega expected to stay open and have most of his employees show up.
: A view of the snow-covered 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 while another person shovels as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada
A resident uses a snow blower 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 drives during a severe winter storm as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains
The biggest snowstorm of the season hit the Sierra Nevada, where residents were urged to take shelter and stay off the roads as more than 10 feet (3 meters) of snow was prepared
Snow was seen piling up at resorts in the Sierra Tahoe
Damaging winds were seen sweeping into the area, including here at Kirkwood Mountain Resort
A freight train passes through town as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada
Vehicles travel on I-80 as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains during a severe winter storm Friday
A view of the snow covered road and tunnel in Truckee, California
Snow covers Donner Lake in Truckee, California
A resident is seen using a snow blower as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe
“We're one of the restaurants in South Lake Tahoe that doesn't close unless we have no power or something breaks.” “We're open 24 hours a day,” he said. “Tahoe is a small community. “It’s rare that an employee can’t make it to work.”
Ortega said he believes the snowfall will ultimately be good for the community and boost tourism once travel is safe again.
Andrew Schwartz, the lead scientist at UC-Berkeley's Central Sierra Snow Lab, said it's possible they could break their current record of about 3.5 feet of snow in a single day, set in 1989.
On the bright side, California water officials said the storm is also expected to provide a much-needed boost to the Sierra snowpack, which is critical to the state's water supply.
As of Thursday, it was 80 percent of the previous average, California Water Department officials said.
Todd Cummings decided to drive from Santa Cruz to the Lake Tahoe area before the storm.
His destination, Northstar Resort, was open, but the slopes were far from crowded.
“No one is here,” he said during his first chairlift ride of the day. “You only have so many slopes available, but this lift goes to the top.”