Another Cold Storm

A storm entering the Northwest and northern California today is another cold storm that will spread south into central California late tonight and tomorrow.

The worst conditions will be in the Cascades tonight and the Sierra late tonight and tomorrow. The combination of snow, heavy at times, along with strong, gusty winds will bring hazardous travel conditions. Snow accumulations in the Cascades will be 6 to 12 inches with locally higher amounts and snow levels will be down to 500 to 1,000 feet. Snow is likely to accumulate east of the Cascades as well with several inches once you move east of the eastern foothills of the Cascades. All mountain areas have gusty winds of 20 to 35 mph causing blowing and drifting snow along with low visibility.

In the northern California mountains, snow will be fall down to 1,000 feet or a little less with I-5 from northern California into Oregon directly impacted with snow and icy travel. Snow levels will rise as one goes farther south but stay relatively low. The southern Sierra will have snow just above the snow level tapering to 3 to 6 inches around 3,000 feet in the southern Sierra. The higher mountains above 7,000 feet will get 15 to 30 inches. The strongest winds with this storm will be in the Sierra with winds of 20 to 40 mph but gusts in the high Sierra will be above 65 mph at times late Tuesday night into Wednesday. Of course with this kind of wind and the amount of snow expected, whiteout conditions are a very good possibility and travel through the Sierra passes may not only be dangerous but maybe impossible for a time.

In the low elevations, some rain will spread south and at least it rains down to Pt. Conceptions to the southern San Joaquin Valley. Anything that gets farther south than that will be spotty and mainly confined to early tomorrow night around parts of the Los Angeles area.

Just a note for those wondering where I have been in the last week. Part of the time was days off. However, part of the time has been sick time and unfortunately that sickness was mixed in with the vacation time and is still going on, the sickness that is. I hope to be here the rest of the week. Cross your fingers.