Heavy Snow in West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada, California

Caltrans District 3 measured 1 to 2 feet of heavy snow above 5000 ft, with 3 to 5 feet above 6000 feet. Ski resorts in the Sierra measured 2 to 5 feet above 6500 feet. Numerous road closures, chain controls, and travel delays were observed from heavy snow over the holiday between 12/24-12/26. Caltrans announced seasonal road closures of the following passes due to heavy snow: CA-4 Ebbetts Pass (Alpine County), CA-89 Monitor Pass (Alpine County), and CA-108 Sonora Pass (Tuolumne County).

A prolonged period of wet weather brought heavy snowfall and strong winds to the Sierra Nevada. Heaviest snowfall was observed from 12/24-12/26 when snow levels came down below the mountain passes. Snowfall measurements over the 12/24-12/26 timeframe were around 2-5 ft per Caltrans, Ski resorts, and UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab. Southerly wind gusts of 50-80 mph were observed as well across the Valley, foothills and mountains that resulted in numerous downed trees and thousands of power outages. There were also numerous reports of flooding in the lower elevations from heavy rain, including two fatalities and 3 injuries from vehicles that hydroplaned and crashed.