The season’s first Blizzard warning has been issued, stating that driving conditions are near-impossible Friday into Saturday morning.
The National Weather Service says highway travel will rapidly deteriorate from whiteout conditions during this timeframe, with snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour. You are advised to avoid travel at all costs.
Snow totals are expected to be near 1 to 3 feet for Plumas, Sierra, and western Lassenwith up to 12
inches along Highway 395. Localized amounts of 4 to 7 feet are expected near Lassen Park and Lake Davis. Even valley floors are expected to get a dusting of snow as cold air blasts through Friday night on Saturday.
Winds associated with the storm will also be strong, potentially gusting as high as 70 mph.
Forecasters say the best travel window for your weekend plans is before 4 am Thursday or after Sunday morning. Calling Sierra travel between these times extremely dangerous as blizzard conditions could be life-threatening.
This combination of wind and snow may cause falling tree limbs, leading to potential power outages. You can prepare for possible prolonged outages by fueling your vehicles and generators and checking the batteries in flashlights.
