California blizzard leaves residents tunneling out with more snow on the way: Live

Communities across the region were digging out after snow reached up to roof lines in some towns

100mph Winds And 12ft Of Snow Expected In California Storm

Snow continued to fall across parts of California and Nevada on Tuesday after a blizzard dumped up to 10ft of snow, shutting down major highways for three days and trapping people in their homes.

Isolated, light snow showers would continue across the Sierra Nevada until Thursday morning, the National Weather Service reported, but drier and warmer conditions were expected by the end of the week.

Communities across the region were digging out after snow reached up to roof lines in some towns, and trapped people inside. More than 7,500 customers remained without power in some California counties, according to utility tracker poweroutage.us.

Localized, heavy rainfall is expected on Tuesday for northern California with downpours moving into southern California on Wednesday. Due a recent glut of atmospheric rivers hitting the state, there will be the threat of isolated flash flooding, NWS reported.

Key Points

• Yosemite National Park to close as officials warn of 7 feet of snow
• Sierra Nevada area could experience life-threatening conditions
• Areas with winter storm warnings and advisories

[5 March 2024 08:30 · Louise Boyle]

Satellites capture the mammoth snowfall on the west coast

Blizzards clobbered the Sierra Nevada Mountains region over the weekend, along with winter storm conditions and strong wind gusts extending across much of the western United States to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, the CIRA research group at Colorado State University posted.

The satellite imagery captured the thick snow bands shifting across the US west.

[5 March 2024 08:04 · Louise Boyle]

Watch: Intense Snowstorm Batters Northern California Causing Blizzard Conditions

[5 March 2024 07:04 · Louise Boyle]

California snowfall traps people inside

The Sugar Bowl Ski resort near Norden, California posted a video showing just how much snow they got this weekend - so much that they couldn’t get out of the front door.

The resort tweeted on Saturday that they had received 20-24 inches of snow. “We got some digging to do,’ they added.

[5 March 2024 06:01 · Louise Boyle]

California post office destroyed by fire

A fire caused by a lightning strike destroyed the post office in a tiny town of 100 people on Friday.

Leggett Post Office in northern California went up in flames after being hit by lightning during the intense blizzard across northern and central parts of the state.

[5 March 2024 05:30 · Louise Boyle]

Snow totals for Sunday range from 5 to 12 feet

National Weather Service meteorologist William Churchill said snow totals by late Sunday would range from 5 to 12 feet, with the highest accumulations at elevations above 5,000 feet. Lower elevations were inundated with heavy rain.

He called the storm an “extreme blizzard for the Sierra Nevada, in particular, as well as other portions of Nevada and even extending into Utah and portions of western Colorado.” But he said he didn’t expect records to be broken.

[5 March 2024 05:03 · Louise Boyle]

And now for the good news...

California’s water from the snowpack is at 104 per cent of its normal level, after starting the year at 28 per cent, the UC Berkeley Sierra Snow Lab reported on Monday.

“We’re also at 94% of our April 1st normal and should get be able to get to 100%,” the research facility posted on X.

[5 March 2024 04:30 · Louise Boyle]

Watch: The California blizzard explained

[5 March 2024 04:05 · Louise Boyle]

Watch: Reporter struggles to get through interview with high-speed winds

[5 March 2024 03:30 · Louise Boyle]

California post office destroyed by fire

A fire caused by a lightning strike destroyed the post office in a tiny town of 100 people on Friday.

Leggett Post Office in northern California went up in flames after being hit by lightning during the intense blizzard across northern and central parts of the state.

[5 March 2024 03:04 · Louise Boyle]

California’s blizzard in pictures

Residents clear out snow in front of their home on Donner Pass Road during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains (Getty Images)

Homes are covered in snow during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which is boosting the snowpack, on March 03, 2024 in Truckee, California (Getty Images)

Workers clear snow off the roof of a building during a blizzard Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Olympic Valley, California (AP)