Storm to deliver unusual wintry blast of snow to Sierra in April
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Call it winter's last hurrah. (Doubt it )
A cold system is dropping down from the Gulf of Alaska Wednesday and forecast to deliver a chilly blast of air — and up to a foot of snow — in the northern Sierra Nevada.
Temperatures will drop down below freezing overnight Wednesday as the storm passes over the mountains and blasts the region with snow.
"It's late in the season for a cool system like this," says meteorologist Eric Kurth with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. "It's more of a wintry type storm, considering we're in April."
The heaviest snow will fall in the evening, and those traveling over mountain passes should be prepared for winter conditions
Donner and Carson pass could see 8 to 12 inches, while Echo and Ebbetts Pass may get 6 to 8 inches. Lassen Park is expected to record up to 18 inches of snow. Ski resorts in the Tahoe Basin could record one foot or more of fresh powder.
Temperatures will continue to dive Thursday, and snow levels could drop as low as 2,500 feet, bringing light flurries to the foothills.
Some spots in the Sierra, including Truckee, could see temperatures drop into the teens overnight Thursday.
"For people going up skiing, they should expect ski resorts to be in the 20s," says Kurth. "That's unusual for this time of year. People who are used to spring skiing conditions, you're going to have bundle up as you would in January."
Skies will clear Friday and things will warm up a little with highs in the 40s. Saturday will be clear and mild and another system is expected to hit Sunday.
"We're not done yet," says Kurth.
These colder systems are a stark contrast to the warmer tropical storm that drenched the Sierra last week in rain. The so-called atmospheric river brought rain to elevations as high as 11,000 feet.
Major snowstorm to evolve into blizzard, halt travel in north-central US
AccuWeather 15 Hours Ago
A major storm will bring heavy late-season snow and blizzard conditions from portions of the northern and central Plains to the Upper Midwest from Friday to Sunday night.
The area likely to receive between 6 and 12 inches of snow is forecast to extend from central Montana to northeastern Wyoming, much of South Dakota, southern North Dakota, northern Nebraska, much of southern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.
Blizzard conditions are projected from much of Nebraska, South Dakota and southern North Dakota to central and southern Minnesota to northern Wisconsin.
The storm has the potential to bring 1 to 2 feet of snow to part of the same area that is likely to experience blizzard conditions.
Other major cities in the region likely to be adversely affected by the snowstorm include Sioux City, Iowa; Valentine, Nebraska; Rapid City, Huron and Pierre, South Dakota; Miles City, Montana; Ortonville, Minnesota; and Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
"At this time, the zone from Toronto to London and Windsor, Ontario, may have substantial ice storm," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson. "There is a risk of trees coming down and power outages in this part of southern Ontario with sleet farther north."
CHICAGO, USA - FEBRUARY 09: Snow covered cars are seen through the road after the blizzard in Chicago, Illinois, United States on February 09, 2018. (Photo by Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu…)
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Call it winter'
A cold system is dropping down from the Gulf of Alaska Wednesday and forecast to deliver a chilly blast of air — and up to a foot of snow — in the northern Sierra Nevada.
Temperatures will drop down below freezing overnight Wednesday as the storm passes over the mountains and blasts the region with snow.
"It's late in the season for a cool system like this," says meteorologist Eric Kurth with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. "It's more of a wintry type storm, considering we're in April."
The heaviest snow will fall in the evening, and those traveling over mountain passes should be prepared for winter conditions
Donner and Carson pass could see 8 to 12 inches, while Echo and Ebbetts Pass may get 6 to 8 inches. Lassen Park is expected to record up to 18 inches of snow. Ski resorts in the Tahoe Basin could record one foot or more of fresh powder.
Temperatures will continue to dive Thursday, and snow levels could drop as low as 2,500 feet, bringing light flurries to the foothills.
Some spots in the Sierra, including Truckee, could see temperatures drop into the teens overnight Thursday.
"For people going up skiing, they should expect ski resorts to be in the 20s," says Kurth. "That's unusual for this time of year. People who are used to spring skiing conditions, you're going to have bundle up as you would in January."
Skies will clear Friday and things will warm up a little with highs in the 40s. Saturday will be clear and mild and another system is expected to hit Sunday.
"We're not done yet," says Kurth.
These colder systems are a stark contrast to the warmer tropical storm that drenched the Sierra last week in rain. The
Major snowstorm to evolve into blizzard, halt travel in north-central US
AccuWeather 15 Hours Ago
A major storm will bring heavy late-season snow and blizzard conditions from portions of the northern and central Plains to the Upper Midwest from Friday to Sunday night.
The area likely to receive between 6 and 12 inches of snow is forecast to extend from central Montana to northeastern Wyoming, much of South Dakota, southern North Dakota, northern Nebraska, much of southern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.
Blizzard conditions are projected from much of Nebraska, South Dakota and southern North Dakota to central and southern Minnesota to northern Wisconsin.
The storm has the potential to bring 1 to 2 feet of snow to part of the same area that is likely to experience blizzard conditions.
Other major cities in the region likely to be adversely affected by the snowstorm include Sioux City, Iowa; Valentine, Nebraska; Rapid City, Huron and Pierre, South Dakota; Miles City, Montana; Ortonville, Minnesota; and Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
"At this time, the zone from Toronto to London and Windsor, Ontario, may have substantial ice storm," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson. "There is a risk of trees coming down and power outages in this part of southern Ontario with sleet farther north."
CHICAGO, USA - FEBRUARY 09: Snow covered cars are seen through the road after the blizzard in Chicago, Illinois, United States on February 09, 2018. (Photo by Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu…)