SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — Showers lingered across the San Francisco Bay Area Tuesday, but the brunt of a potent atmospheric river roared into the Sierra, triggering blizzard conditions, hurricane-force winds and concerns over the threat of an avalanche.
Officials with the Sierra Avalanche Center were warning of possible slides in the Tahoe Area.
“We saw avalanches yesterday (Monday) that failed as wide as the terrain would allow, up to nearly 900′ wide across the Far East Ridge of Tamarack Peak in the Mount Rose zone,” the agency said on its website.
The Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center in Mammoth Lakes also issued a warning for Inyo County and Mono counties.
“Heavy snowfall combined with strong winds and a weak underlying snowpack will likely create widespread areas of unstable snow,” the center warned. “Large human triggered and natural avalanches are likely.”
Meanwhile in the Lake Tahoe area, the National Weather Service issued warnings and advisories as the snowfall rates increased early Tuesday.
Kirkwood Mountain Resort was closed Monday, saying on social media that it was not safe to open with 17 inches of overnight snow and high winds. A California Highway Patrol car in Truckee nudged a big-rig up a snowy hill while smaller vehicles spun out, resulting in minor bumps and bruises but no real injuries, CHP Officer Carlos Perez said.
“It’s just so bad and so thick,” he said of the snowfall, with more expected Monday night. “We’re telling people that if they don’t need to be around this area, they probably shouldn’t travel.”
The Washoe County Sheriff posted early Tuesday that “Mount Rose Highway is currently closed from Douglas Fir to Fairview. Interstate 80 is currently closed over Donner Summit as well.”
1/Mount Rose Highway is currently closed from Douglas Fir to Fairview. Interstate 80 is currently closed over Donner Summit as well. There is currently no estimate for when these roads will reopen. pic.twitter.com/Sh8iAjQBBX
— Washoe Sheriff (@WashoeSheriff) December 14, 2021
Several feet of snow had fallen at the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab.
18.7″ of #snow over the last 24 hours for our official 8am measurement. That takes our 48 hour total to 23.5″ and it is still DUMPING outside!
We took this video while doing our morning measurements and, clearly, we’ve hit some of the peak rates.#CAwx #CAwater pic.twitter.com/7E3TumPb3w
— UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab (@UCB_CSSL) December 13, 2021
Source: sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com.