Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

PA
us snowstorms

Christmas weekend snowstorm causes chaos in California and Nevada

Three people were injured in a 20-car-pile-up near Reno, where drivers described limited visibility yesterday.

A MAJOR CHRISTMAS weekend storm caused whiteout conditions and closed key roads in the mountains of Northern California and Nevada, with forecasters warning that travel in the Sierra Nevada could be difficult for several days due to snow.

Authorities near Reno said three people were injured in a 20-car pile-up on the Interstate 395 road, where drivers described limited visibility yesterday.

Further west, a 70-mile (112km) stretch of Interstate 80 was shut until at least Monday from Colfax, California, through the Lake Tahoe region to the Nevada state line.

The California Department of Transportation also closed many other roads while warning of slippery conditions for motorists.

“Expect major travel delays on all roads,” the National Weather Service office in Reno, Nevada, said on Twitter.

“Today is the type of day to just stay home if you can. More snow is on the way too!”

4bd0eeae-4c6f-499b-8258-c575f8423572 Snow is blanketing parts of the Pacific north-west. PA PA

The weather service issued a winter storm warning for greater Lake Tahoe until 1am on Tuesday because of possible “widespread whiteout conditions” and wind gusts that could top 45mph.

Turbulent weather stretched from San Diego to Seattle. More than a foot of snow was reported near Port Angeles on Washington state’s Puget Sound.

Portland, Oregon received a dusting, but the city was expected to get another 2.5 inches by Monday morning, according to the weather service.

In California, rockslides caused by heavy rain closed more than 40 miles (64km) of coastal Highway 1 in the Big Sur region south of the San Francisco Bay Area.

There was no estimate for the reopening of the scenic stretch that is frequently shut after wet weather.

8aa2feaf-f33f-4f26-a0dd-697256263c53 Seattle got between three and five inches of snow. PA PA

The latest in a series of blustery storms hit Southern California with heavy rain and wind that flooded streets and knocked down power lines late on Saturday.

Powerful gusts toppled trees, damaged carports and blew a track-and-field shed from a Goleta high school into a front yard two blocks away, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. No injuries were reported.

More than 1.8 inches of rain fell over 24 hours in Santa Barbara County’s San Marcos pass, while Rocky Butte in San Luis Obispo County recorded 1.6 inches, the weather service said.

Los Angeles International Airport said a “storm-related electrical issue” forced a partial closure of Terminal 5, causing post-Christmas passengers to divert to other terminals for certain services.

“Cancellations and delays are possible, so it will be important to check your flight status today if flying through Terminal 5,” LAX tweeted.

In the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles, crews were repairing a section of State Route 18 that washed down a hillside after heavy rain late on Thursday.

The closure of the major route into the Big Bear ski resort area could last for weeks, officials said.

The continuing storms were welcomed in parched California, where the Sierra snowpack had been at dangerously low levels after weeks for dry weather. But the state Department of Water Resources reported on Christmas Eve that the snowpack was between 114% and 137% of normal across the range with more snow expected.

Up to 8ft of snow was predicted at the highest elevations of the Sierra.

Before Sunday, 20 inches of snow already had fallen at Homewood on Lake Tahoe’s west shore. About a foot was reported at Northstar near Truckee, California, and 10 inches at the Mount Rose ski resort on the south-west edge of Reno.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Your Voice
Readers Comments
2
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel

     
    JournalTv
    News in 60 seconds