Heavy Snow — West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada, California

2015-12-09 to 2015-12-11 · West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada, California

Event narrative

Heavy snow fell over the Sierra, with around 1 to 2 feet above 7000 feet at ski resorts, 7-12 inches between 5000-7000 feet, 1 to 7 inches between 3000-5000 feet.

There were travel difficulties on highways in the Sierra, such as I-80 and Highway 50. Chain controls were in effect with slowdowns due to periods of whiteout conditions and very slippery roads, and multiple accidents were reported. There was a fatality a little after 5 am on the morning of December 11th, when a driver heading westbound on Highway 50 between Pollock Pines and Placerville lost control and crashed into a tree head-on. It was noted by the CHP that it was snowing at the time of the accident with reduced visibility, and the roadway was wet.

Wider weather episode

A cold storm from the Gulf of Alaska merged with subtropical moisture to bring heavy snow to the mountains and gusty winds. There were snowfall amounts of 1 to 2 feet above 6000 ft, with measurable snow down to as low as 3200 feet. This caused travel delays and accidents on mountain roads.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 604332. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.