The blizzard is the strongest that California has seen so far this year. In the last 48 hours, the storm has dumped between 24 and 42 inches across the mountains, according to Sara Purdue, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.
As of Saturday morning, Caltrans had closed a 70-mile portion of Interstate 80 between Colfax and the California-Nevada state line, and was discouraging travel through the mountains while the blizzard warning remains in effect through Sunday morning. Jeremy Linder, a spokesperson for Caltrans, couldn’t estimate when officials would reopen the highway.
Text by Ethan Baron, read the full story here.
Employee Randy Calvert clears a path outside of the Mountain Hardware & Sports in Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Janine Shaw puts a snow shield on her car window outside of the Mountain Hardware & Sports in Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
A sign is buried in deep snow along Highway 89 outside of Tahoe City, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Tow truck driver Jeff Morgan prepares to head to a call in downtown Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Icicles dangle from a wire outside of the historic Truckee Hotel in downtown Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Moe, who preferred not to give his last name, clears his driveway along Highway 89 outside of Tahoe City, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Power was out at his house. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Jose Cervantes clears snow from Church Street in downtown Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Leo Yonamine seeks shelter as he waits for a bus while snow continues to fall in downtown Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
A Caltrans crew monitors the closed Interstate 80 westbound ramp in Truckee, Calif., on Friday, March 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
A person walks towards the historic Truckee Hotel as snow continues to fall in downtown Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Brothers Bob and Ron Barrett, of Klamath Falls, from left, snowshoe in downtown Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. They couldn’t get their truck out of a nearby parking lot because of all of the snow. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Employee Juan Manuel clears snow from in front of Bar of America in downtown Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
People cross Donner Pass Road as snow continues to fall in downtown Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
The Donner Memorial State Park sign is covered with snow in Truckee, Calif., on Friday, March 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
A snow plow cruises through downtown Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
A plow cruises along Donner Pass Road as snow continues to fall in downtown Truckee, Calif., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)