Winter storm warning as 20 inches of snow to hit—”whiteout conditions”

Multiple winter storm warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) as it forecasts that three states could get winds reaching 70 mph and up to 20 inches of snow from Sunday or Monday—lasting until Wednesday—which is likely to cause “whiteout conditions.”

States Affected by Winter Storm Warnings 

Winter storm conditions are likely to hit counties in California, Nevada, and Alaska. 

The NWS has advised people who must travel to “keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency,” and before they set off, call 511 to get updates on the latest, local road conditions. 

California 

Communities across the Frazier Mountains, Piute Walker Basin, and Tehachapi are facing up to 20 inches of snow and 50 mph winds from Sunday evening until Wednesday evening, with the NWS warning that “travel could be very difficult to impossible.” 

Up to 5 feet of snow above 6,000 feet, and up to 7 feet could fall across the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada by Wednesday night, with winds gusting around 60 mph. Areas below 4,000 feet in this region could see between 1 and 2 feet of snow.

The eastern Sierra slopes are expected to get 70 mph winds and over 3 feet of snow above 8,000 feet and up to 16 inches of snow at or below 6,000 feet from early Monday morning until Wednesday night. The NWS has advised people to “consider delaying all travel” and to “stay indoors until conditions improve.” 

White and Inyo Mountains could experience 50 mph winds and over 2 feet of snow in areas above 8,000 feet, and between 8 and 16 inches of snow in areas below 6,000 feet from Monday morning through to Wednesday night. According to the NWS, travel will be difficult to impossible along Highway 168—especially along Westguard Pass—as visibilities are expected to drop to below a quarter of a mile at times.

Parts of the Humboldt and Del Norte interior could see up to 15 inches of snow and 40 mph winds from Monday night into Wednesday night. Motorists should prepare for road closures, and the NWS says that tire chains “may be necessary if traveling through mountain passes.” 

From Sunday morning into Wednesday afternoon, Trinity County could get up to 2.5 feet of snow above 3,000 feet and up to 10 inches of snow in areas at or above 2,000 feet, along with 35 mph winds.

Southern, eastern, and western Siskiyou Counties—including Highways 97 and 89, and Interstate 5, south of Weed—could get up to 12 inches of snow and 40 mph winds—especially over exposed and elevated areas—from Sunday morning until Wednesday. 

Mono, Lassen, eastern Plumas, and eastern Sierra Counties could see up to 12 inches of snow, especially along Highway 395, and up to 2 feet of snow, west of Highway 89. The NWS warns that winds could reach 65 mph in “wind-prone locations” from Sunday, lasting until Wednesday. 

Nevada 

Between 5 and 10 inches of snow and 45 mph winds could blast Esmeralda County in western Nevada, and central Nye County in central Nevada, from mid-Monday morning, with the winter storm warnings remaining in place until Wednesday night. “Whiteout conditions are expected and will make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening,” especially along Highway 95 and Highway 266, over the Lida summit, the NWS warns.

Sheep Range and the Spring Mountains, including the Red Rock Canyon, are expected to see up to 2 feet of snow above 9,000 feet and up to 12 inches in areas at or below 5,000 feet, alongside winds gusting up to 50 mph, from Monday morning until Wednesday night. 

Parts of southwestern Humboldt County could get between 6 and 12 inches of snow and 50 mph winds until Wednesday afternoon. This is likely to disrupt travel along roads above 2,000 feet, particularly Mattole and Shelter Cove Road.

Alaska

Several parts of Alaska—including the central Interior, Nenana and the Nenana Hills, the northern borough of Denali, the White Mountains, and high terrain areas, south of the Yukon River—could get up to 8 inches of snow and 40 mph winds through Sunday. Light snow showers could linger into Monday, before another round of snow is expected to move into the state on Tuesday, possibly bringing heavy snowfall until Thursday.