Snow Slides Complicating Work To Reopen I-80 In Sierra
TRUCKEE (CBS13/AP) - Heavy snow and high winds have kept a 70-mile stretch of Interstate 80 from Colfax to the Nevada state line closed.
A winter storm warning remains in effect until 4 a.m. Thursday for the Lake Tahoe area, where more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) of snow has fallen over the last two days.
Traffic cameras do not tell the whole story. Certain portions of I-80 like this one near Yuba Gap still need to be widened for safe travel. We have all available snow removal equipment working to open the Interstate, but we're also contending with snow slides. Still no ETO. pic.twitter.com/GMxLO4XYby
— Caltrans District 3 (@CaltransDist3) February 27, 2019
The Mount Rose Highway connecting Reno to Lake Tahoe also was closed Wednesday.
The National Weather Service reported wind gusts up to 114 mph (183 kph) late Tuesday at the summit of Alpine Meadows ski resort north of Tahoe.
This storm has also brought some pretty hefty snow amounts to the mountains. Anywhere from 1 to 7 feet have fallen in 2 days! Periods of heavy mountain snow will continue through tomorrow. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/GG2FyxoWLV
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) February 27, 2019
The service says another 8 to 16 inches (20 centimeters to 40 cm) of snow is forecast Wednesday night above 7,000 feet (2,133 meters).
The Sierra Avalanche Center warns the threat of avalanches is high throughout the region.
© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.