NOAA Blizzard Warning: Do Not Attempt To Travel Across Sierra Passes

Published on Jan 4, 2008 - 8:43:28 AM

By: NOAA

THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF THREE STORMS IS FORECAST TO IMPACT INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY MORNING. AN EVEN MORE POWERFUL STORM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA WITH HEAVY SNOW AND DANGEROUSLY HIGH WINDS ON FRIDAY. THE POWERFUL WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW ARE LIKELY TO CREATE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY ON FRIDAY. ALTHOUGH STRONG WINDS AND SNOW MAY DECREASE IN INTENSITY LATE SATURDAY MORNING...THE WIND AND SNOW WILL NOT ENTIRELY CEASE. A THIRD AND COLDER STORM IS EXPECTED TO BRING MORE SNOW TO THE AREA SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SUNDAY.

BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT TO 4 AM PST SATURDAY

A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT TO 4 AM PST SATURDAY FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SHASTA COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND THE COASTAL RANGE. THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF STORMS IS FORECAST TO IMPACT THE MOUNTAINS OF SHASTA COUNTY AND INTERIOR COASTAL RANGE LATE THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. A SECOND MORE POWERFUL STORM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY MORNING. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AROUND 5000 TO 6000 FEET THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY AND THEN DROP TO AROUND 3000 TO 3500 FEET BY SATURDAY MORNING. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 FEET ARE POSSIBLE ABOVE 5000 FEET OF THE SHASTA COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND INTERIOR COASTAL RANGE BETWEEN THURSDAY EVENING AND SATURDAY MORNING. SNOWFALL IS LIKELY TO ACCUMULATE AT A RATE OF SEVERAL INCHES PER HOUR AT TIMES THROUGH THE WARNING PERIOD... THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED FRIDAY. IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY SNOWFALL...STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED. WIND SPEED GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 75 TO 85 MPH ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT WITH THESE TWO SYSTEMS. THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND POWERFUL WINDS WILL LIKELY CAUSE FREQUENT WHITEOUT CONDITIONS.

TRAVEL OVER THE HIGHER PASSES WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT...IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES BETWEEN THURSDAY EVENING AND SATURDAY MORNING. THE WIND AND SNOW MAY DECREASE BY MID DAY SATURDAY... BUT WILL NOT ENTIRELY END. A THIRD... COLDER STORM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER THE AREA LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY WITH A FOOT OR MORE OF ADDITIONAL SNOW POSSIBLE. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER TO AROUND 2000 FEET SUNDAY MORNING.

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU.

Area: SHASTA LAKE AREA / NORTHERN SHASTA COUNTY-BURNEY BASIN / EASTERN SHASTA COUNTY-MOUNTAINS SOUTHWESTERN SHASTA COUNTY TO NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY

Affected Counties or parts of: Yuba, Plumas, Yolo, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Sierra, Alpine, Shasta, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, Sacramento, Placer, Solano, Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Sutter, Lake, Tehama, Nevada.

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