US: Winter storm approaches Sierra Nevada, over a foot of snow and 100 mph wind gusts expected

Ahead of an early winter storm, the US weather department on Saturday issued advisories along the California-Nevada line.

The storm may bring more than a foot (30 centimeters) of snow to the upper elevations of the Sierra and winds may gust up to 100 mph (160 kph) over ridgetops, said the US National Weather Service.

The advisories, in effect from 4 pm Saturday through 4 am Sunday, stretched from the Lake Tahoe area near Reno to south of Yosemite National Park, including Mammoth Lakes, California.

According to the weather department, three to 8 inches (7 to 20 centimeters) of snow was expected above elevations of 6,500 feet (1,980 meters), with as much as 14 inches (35 centimeters) above 8,000 feet (2,440 meters).

 “Plan on slippery road conditions and poor visibility with snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour (2.5 to 5 centimeters) in heavier bands,” the weather service in Reno said.

It also said that strong winds could cause tree damage, blowing snow and hazardous boating conditions on Lake Tahoe with waves 2 to 4 feet (60 to 122 centimeters) high. 

“A vigorous upper-level trough currently hurling onshore into the West Coast will send a wave of inclement weather rapidly from west to east across the country through the next couple of days.  The Pacific Northwest is first in line to feel the impacts from this weather system including coastal/lower elevation rains, high elevation snow, and the onset of strong gusty winds,” said the National Weather Service.

“These weather conditions are expected to penetrate quite rapidly inland…behind a dynamic cold front, overspreading much of the Intermountain West and Great Basin with sharply falling temperature….. Wind-related advisories have been posted for portions of these areas,” it added.

“In the meantime, a low pressure system currently developing over the central High Plains will be energized as the vigorous upper trough sweeps through the western U.S…..  Showers and thunderstorms currently developing over the central Plains ahead of the low pressure system will likely expand toward the east and northeast for the next few days as the system expands and intensifies,” it said.