Massive blizzard strikes California and Nevada with wind gusts up to 305 km/h (190 mph)

A significant winter storm continues to impact much of the West on Sunday, March 3, 2024, with heavy mountain snow and widespread damaging winds, including dangerous, blizzard conditions in the Sierra Nevada.

A severe blizzard has been affecting parts of California and Nevada since Thursday, February 29, closing key roads, halting ski operations, leaving thousands without power, and creating ‘high to extreme’ avalanche danger in the Sierra Nevada region.

On Saturday, March 2, NWS meteorologist William Churchill described the storm as 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.’

In Nevada, more than 33 000 customers experienced power outages, alongside nearly 24 000 in California. Early Sunday morning, March 3, a total of 12 184 customers in California were without power and 6 386 in Nevada.

The storm has forced the closure of major transport routes and ski resorts, impacting tens of thousands of residents across the western United States.

At Lake Tahoe’s Palisades ski resort, known as the largest in the area and the 1960 Winter Olympics venue, wind gusts surpassed 240 km/h (150 mph), with a peak gust reaching 305 km/h (190 mph) on the evening of Friday at the Siberia summit, situated at 2 652 m (8 700 feet).

The Interstate 80 highway, a critical 121 km (75 mile) stretch, was closed due to hazardous conditions, complicating rescue and recovery efforts. The California Highway Patrol Office in Truckee, a key location near the Nevada border, reported significant challenges for emergency personnel and tow trucks.

The storm also produced a tornado that damaged an elementary school in Madera County, California, on Friday afternoon, March 1.

The mountainous areas near Lake Tahoe were particularly affected, with forecasts predicting snowfall reaching up to 3.6 m (12 feet) at higher elevations. This situation raises “life-threatening concerns” for those in the vicinity, as per the U.S. National Weather Service. Several ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe area have been closed, with reopening plans contingent on weather improvements.

Yosemite National Park also announced closures, urging visitors to evacuate, with the reopening schedule dependent on the storm’s progression. Authorities and weather forecasters have advised residents and visitors to avoid unnecessary travel, warning of potential delays in rescue operations for those stranded by the blizzard.

References:

¹ US Storm: Massive blizzard hits California and Nevada – BBC – March 3, 2024

² A massive blizzard howls in the Sierra Nevada. High winds and heavy snow close roads and ski resorts – AP – March 3, 2024

Featured image credit: California Highway Patrol