Live updates on Sierra snowstorm, road and travel impacts

Sierra Snowstorm: Live updates on snow impacts, Northern California rain

HAS FALLEN AND THERE’S SOME WIND WITH IT. AND WITH THE SNOW ARE THOSE STRONG WINDS. THANKS FOR JOINING US AT FOUR. I’M LISA GONZALEZ AND I’M TY STEELE. CONDITIONS IN THE SIERRA ARE EXPECTED TO GET WORSE AS THIS STORM INTENSIFIES. WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE ON THE STORM IN THE SIERRA WITH CREWS ON INTERSTATE 80 AND HIGHWAY 50. TRAVEL IS STILL POSSIBLE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE’VE SEEN CHAIN CONTROLS GO UP. AND FIRST WE WANT TO START WITH CHIEF METEOROLOGIST MARK FINAN. MARK. AND WE HAVE THIS STORM NOW MOVING INTO CALIFORNIA. AND OVER THE NEXT THREE DAYS THERE ARE GOING TO BE THREE THINGS THAT WILL BE LOOKING AT BE LOOKING AT SNOW, WIND AND RAIN. AND LET’S START WITH THE SNOW. BECAUSE OUR OVERALL SNOW NUMBERS REALLY HAVEN’T CHANGED ALL THAT MUCH. THE FORECAST HAS BEEN VERY CONSISTENT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. WE STILL EXPECT 6 TO 9FT OF SNOW AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 6000FT. SOME OF THE RESORTS MAY EVEN GET CLOSE TO TEN FEET OF SNOW BY THE TIME EVERYTHING WRAPS UP DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY. AT 5000FT, 4 TO 5FT OF SNOW, AND AT 4000FT, AREAS LIKE POLLOCK PINES AND ARNOLD. AS WE MAY BE SEEING AS MUCH AS THREE FEET OF SNOW BY THE TIME THINGS WRAP UP ON SUNDAY. ON SATURDAY, WE’LL START TO SEE SOME SNOW DOWN AT 3 IN 2000 FEET. THAT ACTUALLY BE SATURDAY MORNING. NOT MUCH AT 2000. WE MAY NOT EVEN GET IT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 2000. WE MIGHT GET SOME SNOW DOWN AROUND 22 TO 2500FT FIRST THING ON SATURDAY MORNING, BUT BOY, WHAT AN IMPACT WE’RE GOING TO SEE IN THE HIGH SIERRA. SO THE OTHER THING WE’RE LOOKING AT IS WIND. IT’S BREEZY RIGHT NOW. IT’S BEEN WINDY ALL DAY IN THE SIERRA. THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF TOMORROW EVENING, ANOTHER TIME WHEN WE’RE GOING TO HAVE SOME VERY GUSTY WINDS. AND THESE ARE WIND GUSTS. LOOK AT THE GUSTS ON THE FOOTHILLS. UPPER 30S TO AROUND 40 IN THE HIGH SIERRA, 40 TO AROUND 50. AND THE SIERRA WILL CONTINUE TO SEE GUSTS LIKE THAT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. SO REALLY IS THE HIGH SIERRA WHERE YOU’VE HEARD ABOUT THE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS, THE BLIZZARD HAS TO DO WITH HIGH WINDS AND LOW VISIBILITY. THAT’S WHERE IT IS DOWN THE HILL. YOU DON’T GET THOSE CONDITIONS, BUT FOR THOSE IN THE HIGH SIERRA ABOVE 5000FT, THAT’S WHERE YOU GET ALL OF THAT. OF THESE THREE THINGS THAT WE’RE LOOKING AT, RAIN IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE THE LEAST IMPORTANT. SO SNOW IS GOING TO BE OUR PRIMARY CONCERN. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SNOW THAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE AREA RIGHT NOW. OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS, THESE LITTLE WAVES OF RAIN IN THE VALLEY HAVE BEEN TURNING INTO SNOW. THE SNOW LEVEL TODAY HAS BEEN BOUNCING AROUND 5000 TO 5500FT. IT’LL LOWER SOMEWHAT TONIGHT, BUT ALONG HIGHWAY 108 AS ALL THE WAY UP TO HIGHWAY FOUR AND 88, THAT SNOW HAS KIND OF BEEN INTERMITTENT. FARTHER TO THE NORTH, HIGHWAY 50 HASN’T SEEN A LOT OF SNOW, BUT WE NOW HAVE CHAIN CONTROLS. IT STARTED EARLIER THIS MORNING ON INTERSTATE 80. AND LIKE I SAID, THAT SNOW LEVEL HOVERING AROUND 5000 TO 5500FT, I WOULD EXPECT EXPECT THAT TO DROP BY ABOUT 500 TO 1000FT AS WE GET INTO THE NIGHT. TONIGHT, I’LL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THAT COMING UP IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND ROADS HAVE BEEN WET FOR MUCH OF THE DAY. KCRA 3’S MARICELA DE LA CRUZ IS ON HIGHWAY 50 RIGHT NOW. MARICELA. WE KNOW IT’S BEEN SNOWING THERE AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT FOR FOR A WHILE NOW. YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT. TY WE ARE IN MEYERS. WE MADE IT OUT HERE A FEW HOURS AGO AND WE’VE BEEN EXPERIENCING THESE SNOW FLURRIES, THE VERY LIGHT SINCE AROUND NOON. NOW, THE DRIVE UP HERE WAS PRETTY SMOOTH, PRETTY CLEAR. JUST A LIGHT RAIN. THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC COMING UP THIS WAY, AND AS WE MADE IT INTO MEYERS, WE HAVE BEEN SEEING A LITTLE MORE TRAFFIC. BUT FROM WHAT WE HEAR, IT SEEMS TO BE LOCALS WHO ARE RUNNING THOSE LAST MINUTE ERRANDS. NOW. WE DID PARK RIGHT OUTSIDE OF GROCERY STORE, TALKED TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE OUT HERE, ALL OF THEM TELLING US ABOUT THEIR LAST MINUTE SHOPPING THAT THEY’RE DOING, GETTING THOSE NON-PERISHABLES, ICE, WATER, ANYTHING THAT THEY MAY NEED IN CASE THEY DO LOSE POWER OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS OR DAYS. THEY’RE JUST PREPPING UP. LET’S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LISTEN TO A COUPLE. THEY HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE IN MEYERS FOR OVER A DECADE, AND THEY’RE PRETTY MUCH EXPERTS AT WHAT THEY SHOULD AND SHOULDN’T DO DURING DAYS LIKE THESE. GOT GROCERIES GOING TO BE MAKING STEW, MADE SURE WE HAD EGGS AND STUFF BECAUSE YOU NEED TO PLAN AHEAD AND NOT WAIT FOR THE LAST MINUTE. I’VE BEEN IN LOTS OF THESE SNOWSTORMS AND IF YOU MADE IT THROUGH LAST YEAR, YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH HANDLE ANYTHING UP HERE. NOW THAT THOSE SNOW FLURRIES AND THAT WIND COMING DOWN A LITTLE BIT STRONGER, THAT’S BEEN ONGOING THROUGHOUT THE DAY, THROUGHOUT THE HOURS THAT WE’VE ALREADY BEEN HERE. NOW, UM, IF PEOPLE DON’T NEED TO COME OUT, THEY SHOULDN’T BE DRIVING UP THIS WAY. BUT IF THEY MUST DRIVE THIS WAY, JUST RECOMMENDING THAT THEY FILL THEIR GAS TANK, BRING FOOD, FOOD, WATER, SOME BLANKETS IN CASE THEY DO GET STUCK OUT HERE. AND THEY CAN ALSO FOLLOW THE CALTRANS WEBSITE AND APP FOR THOSE LIVE ROAD CONDITIONS. WE ARE LIVE IN MEYERS. MARICELA DE LA CRUZ KCRA THREE NEWS. ALL RIGHT, MARICELA, STAY WARM. THANK YOU. WHAT WAS A ROUGH START TO THE DAY ON INTERSTATE 80 WHEN A BIG RIG FLIPPED OVER? LOOK AT THIS. THE FREEWAY WAS CLOSED FOR HOURS BECAUSE OF THIS. THIS IS VIDEO FROM CHP AND YOU CAN SEE THE BIG RIG ON ITS SIDE BLOCKING ALL THE LANES HERE. THIS HAPPENED NEAR DONNER SUMMIT AROUND 730 THIS MORNING. THAT WAS BEFORE CHAIN CONTROLS WENT INTO EFFECT. CHP SAYS SPEED. SPEED DID PLAY A ROLE IN THIS CRASH. THE DRIVER DOES HAVE MINOR INJURIES AND CREWS GOT THE FREEWAY BACK OPEN AROUND 1130. SO WE’VE SEEN SNOW STICK TO THE ROADS TODAY. KCRA 3’S DENEEKA HILL HAS BEEN TRACKING CONDITIONS ALONG I-80. SHE’S LIVE NEAR KINGVALE. SO DENEEKA WHAT ARE CONDITIONS LIKE THERE? YEAH. SO AS YOU MENTIONED, WE’RE RIGHT HERE AT KINGVALE ON 80. AND THAT’S WHERE CHAIN CONTROLS BEGAN. ITS HERE FROM ON. UH, HERE AT KINGVALE ALL THE WAY UP TO TRUCKEE. WE WANT TO SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHAT THOSE CHAIN CONTROLS ARE LOOKING LIKE RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN SEE CALTRANS WORKERS OUT HERE CHECKING FOR THOSE CHAINS, MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE THEM ON PROPERLY AND SENDING THEM ABOUT THEIR WAY. IF THEY DON’T HAVE THOSE CHAINS, THEY’RE BEING TOLD TO EXIT. NOW, BACK THIS WAY IS WHERE WE’RE SEEING PEOPLE PULL OVER. THIS IS STARTING TO CAUSE A LITTLE BIT OF A TRAFFIC JAM AS PEOPLE JUST START TO PULL OVER AND PUT ON THOSE CHAINS. WE’VE SEEN A LOT OF TRUCKERS SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST OUT IN THE SNOW. IT’S A GOOD REMINDER. MAKE SURE YOU EVEN HAVE THOSE CHAINS BEFORE YOU HEAD UP, BECAUSE AGAIN, CHAIN CONTROLS ARE IN EFFECT NOW, WE DID STOP AND TALK TO ONE FAMILY WHO DECIDED TO PULL OVER. HERE’S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT HAVING TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, BUT THEY DECIDED TO STOP BECAUSE AS ONE OF OUR TIRES, THE THE CHAINS, IT IT’S GONE LIKE IT BASICALLY BACKED THERE. SO YEAH. AND SO THAT IS A GOOD REMINDER. MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO PUT THOSE CHAINS ON. NOW THERE ARE PEOPLE ALONG I-80 THAT ARE INSTALLING THOSE CHAINS IF YOU WANT TO PAY A SMALL FEE. NOW THE OTHER GOOD REMINDER IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE’VE SEEN OUT HERE, PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR THEIR CHAINS HERE ON I-80. SO BE AWARE. STAY ALERT BECAUSE YOU COULD RUN INTO THOSE CHAINS AND START A WHOLE NOTHER LIST OF PROBLEMS. THE OTHER THING THAT WE ARE BECOMING MORE AWARE OF, WE KNOW THAT TRAFFIC WAS STOPPED HERE FOR QUITE A BIT OF TIME, ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES. I JUST SPOKE WITH CHP. THEY SAID THAT’S BECAUSE THEY SAW A SPIN OUT A LITTLE WAYS UP. SO ALSO BE PREPARED. IF YOU ARE TRAVELING UP 80, YOU COULD GET STUCK BEHIND ONE OF THOSE SPIN OUTS CAUSING YOU HAVE TO SIT HERE AND WAIT. SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE GAS, BLANKETS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO MAKE THAT WAIT. COMFORTABLE. WE’LL CONTINUE TO SIT OUT, STICK OUT HERE AND TRACK THESE CONDITIONS. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT’S SNOWING PRETTY GOOD. SO I IMAGINE CHAIN CONTROLS WILL STAY IN PLACE FOR QUITE A WHILE HERE IN KINGVALE DENEEKA HILL KCRA THREE NEWS. ALL RIGHT, DENEEKA, THANK YOU. AND WITH THE SNOW EXPECTED AT THE END OF THIS WEEK, THE CITY OF SOUTH LAKE TAHOE SHARED A SNOW REMOVAL GUIDE TO KEEP IN MIND. FEW HIGHLIGHTS PARK VEHICLES OFF THE STREET IF YOU CAN, TO ALLOW SNOW PLOWS TO DO THEIR JOB. KEEP TRASH CANS OUT OF THE AREA AS WELL. WHEN SHOVELING OR SNOW BLOWING, MAKE SURE THE SNOW IS NOT PUT INTO THE STREET WALKWAYS OR SIDEWALKS AND THE FEET OF EXPECTED SNOW AND STRONG WINDS COULD CAUSE POWER OUTAGES IN THE SIERRA PG&E CREWS IN GRASS VALLEY ARE GEARING UP JUST IN CASE. THEY SAY THE HEAVY SNOW CAN CAUSE TREE LIMBS TO GET HEAVY AND THEN BREAK OFF, AND TREES CAN ALSO TOPPLE OVER. CREWS SAY THEY’RE BRINGING IN MORE EQUIPMENT RIGHT NOW AND SUPPLIES TO MEET THE EXPECTED NEED. WE ARE URGING PEOPLE TO BE PREPARED, HAVE A PLAN. MAKE SURE YOUR GAS TANKS HAVE PLENTY OF FUEL. IF YOU HAVE A GENERATOR, ENSURE IT’S IN GOOD WORKING ORDER AND YOU HAVE FUEL AVAILABLE FOR THAT. HAVE FLASHLIGHTS AND BATTERY OPERATED LANTERNS AVAILABLE. WE DON’T RECOMMEND CANDLES BECAUSE OF THE FIRE DANGER, AND THEY ALSO SAY THEIR ROAD CREWS ARE READY TO SURGE TO 24 HOUR OPERATIONS WHEN NEED BE, AND CALTRANS CREWS ARE ALSO READY TO GO. AND JOINING US NOW IS JEREMY LINDER WITH CALTRANS. THANKS FOR JOINING US, JEREMY. WE SPOKE WITH YOU YESTERDAY. HAVE YOU SEEN ANY PROBLEMS? SO FAR? I MEAN, YOU GUYS PRETTY MUCH TOUCH BASE ON THEM ALREADY. IT WAS QUITE AMAZING. I STARTED PRETTY EARLY THIS MORNING, DID ONE SOCIAL MEDIA POST ABOUT, HEY, EVERYTHING’S LOOKING CALM AND THEN I BLINKED TWICE. IT FELT LIKE. AND WE HAD THAT INCIDENT ON 80. SO THAT’S BEEN THE MAIN HICCUP THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN HAVING TO BATTLE THIS MORNING. AND THEN NOW WE’RE GETTING INTO THAT GENERAL TREND THAT WE TYPICALLY SEE OF JUST THE JUGGLING CHAIN CONTROLS AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE CAN GET THROUGH SAFELY. YEAH, EVERYTHING IS RAMPING UP. WE CAN SEE THAT JEREMY, IS THE WIND A CHALLENGE FOR CREWS LIKE IT IS? REGULAR DRIVERS UP FOR THE CREWS? I MEAN, THEY THEY KNOW TO EXPECT THE WIND, ESPECIALLY RIGHT THERE AT THE SUMMIT, THE BACKSIDE AS YOU START HEADING TOWARDS RENO IS A TYPICAL AREA THAT WE CAN SEE. THE WINDS RAMP UP. SO THEY KNOW TO EXPECT THAT. THAT’S ALSO ONE OF THE AREAS THAT THEY’RE CONSTANTLY MONITORING, BECAUSE WHEN WE GET THE SNOWFALL AT THE HEAVY RATES AND THEN THE WINDS, THAT’S WHEN THE VISIBILITY REALLY DROPS OFF. AND WE GOT TO GET THE WORD OUT BECAUSE MOTORISTS CAN SEE QUITE A DIFFERENCE AS YOU START HEADING OVER THE SUMMIT. AND THEN WHEN IT HITS THAT ZERO VISIBILITY, THAT’S WHEN WE HAVE TO REALLY START THINKING, OKAY, DO WE NEED TO CLOSE DOWN THE HIGHWAY FOR SAFETY CHAIN CONTROLS, IN EFFECT, FOR PARTS OF THE MAJOR HIGHWAYS? OBVIOUSLY. WHAT’S THE MESSAGE TO DRIVERS AS THEY ARE GETTING OUT AND PUTTING ON THOSE CHAINS? WELL, FOR THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY OUT THERE, PRETTY MUCH THE NUMBER ONE MESSAGE IS JUST GOING TO BE PATIENCE. EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE SLOW AND STEADY FOR THESE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. UH, IF YOU’RE PUTTING YOUR CHAINS ON, JUST BE PREPARED THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND AND GO A COUPLE OF MILES, PULL OVER AND CHECK THEM. MAKE SURE THEY’RE STILL TIGHT. THINGS HAVE A HABIT OF LOOSENING A LITTLE BIT. YOU MAY THINK YOU HAVE IT THE TIGHTEST POSSIBLE, BUT ONCE YOUR CAR STARTS MOVING, UH, IT FINDS THAT WEAK SPOT. SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK IT EVERY SO OFTEN AND THEN SLOW AND STEADY, AND EVENTUALLY YOU GET TO YOUR DESTINATION SAFE. YEAH, WE JUST TALKED TO ONE OF THOSE DRIVERS WHO LOST ONE OF THEIR CHAINS. PROBABLY DIDN’T HAVE IT ON TIGHT ENOUGH. ALL RIGHT, JEREMY, DRIVERS SHOULD BE WARY OF DIRECTIONS. THEY’RE USING FOR THEIR GPS, ESPECIALLY DURING STORMS LIKE THIS. YOU CAN’T ALWAYS YOU CAN’T ALWAYS TRUST THE GPS. YEAH, THAT’S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THE STORMS ARE LIKE THIS. WE JUST SUGGEST EVERYONE STAY ON THE MAIN LINE BEING 80 AND 50. IF YOU START TRYING TO BYPASS CHAIN CONTROLS OR USE THE GPS TO FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE, YOU’RE GETTING YOURSELF IN A SITUATION THAT YOU HAVE NO CLUE. THE ROAD CONDITIONS CALTRANS ONLY DOES THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM ANY SIDE ROADS COULD BE COUNTY JURISDICTION OR LOCAL CITIES, AND YOU DON’T KNOW HOW OFTEN THEY’RE PLOWING THOSE STREETS. SO CONDITIONS COULD BE EVEN WORSE COMPARED TO THE HIGHWAY. AND THEN OF COURSE, IF YOU GET YOURSELF IN AN INCIDENT NOW, YOU’RE STRETCHING RESOURCES EVEN THINNER. THAT COULD BE CONCENTRATING ON THE MAIN CORRIDOR. YEAH, I KNOW IN THE PAST THAT THAT’S HAPPENED. YEAH. PEOPLE FOLLOW THE GPS TO TAKE A SIDE ROAD, AND THEN THEY WERE STUCK THERE FOR A WHILE. AND WHEN THINGS CHANGING THIS QUICKLY, YOU JUST YOU CAN’T DO THAT RIGHT? JEREMY LINDER THANK YOU. WELL RAIN ALSO FALLING IN THE VALLEY. HERE’S A LIVE LOOK FROM OUR WEST SACRAMENTO SUTTER HEALTH PARK SKY CAMERA RIGHT NOW. AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE FLAGS FULLY EXTENDED. MARK, WHAT ARE WE SEEING ON RADAR. YOU KNOW IT’S REALLY INTERESTING WHEN YOU CONTRAST WHAT DENEEKA WAS SEEING UP ON INTERSTATE 80 TO WHAT WE’RE SEEING IN THE VALLEY. IT’S REALLY NIGHT AND DAY. AND I’LL SHOW YOU THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THAT IN A SECOND. FOR THE VALLEY, IT’S BEEN A BREEZY AFTERNOON, AND WE HAVE THESE OCCASIONAL WAVES OF RAIN, BUT IS BY FAR IT ISN’T A STEADY RAIN. THE BEST RAIN WE’RE SEEING IS ALONG HIGHWAY 20 FROM YUBA CITY TOWARD GRASS VALLEY, AND PENN VALLEY AND LAKE WILDWOOD. ALL OF THE RAIN IS MOVING FROM WEST TO EAST. YOU GO A LITTLE FARTHER TO THE SOUTH. WE HAVE SOME NICE RAIN AROUND WOODLAND THAT WILL LAST MAYBE ANOTHER 15 MINUTES. SOME OF THAT RAIN WILL GET INTO SACRAMENTO, WHERE IT’S CURRENTLY DRY. IN SACRAMENTO AT ELK GROVE, AND SOME LIGHT RAIN OUT TOWARD THE FOLSOM AREA. BUT IF YOU GO FARTHER TO THE SOUTH IN STOCKTON, WELL, THE SUN’S ACTUALLY OUT. SO FOR THOSE WATCHING IN SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, YOU MUST BE ALARMED BY JUST HOW BAD THE CONDITIONS ARE IN THE HIGH SIERRA. THE PICTURES YOU’RE SEEING. BUT WE’LL GET SOME SHOWERS EVENTUALLY IN SAN JOAQUIN AND STANISLAUS COUNTY. BUT RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF THE VALLEY IS DRY. I’LL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT HOW THIS STORM IS GOING TO PROGRESS IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES. ALL RIGHT. AND WE ARE TRACKING THIS SYSTEM AS IT INTENSIFIES OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. OUR TEAM OF METEOROLOGISTS ARE ON IT. YOU CAN USE THE INTERACTIVE RADAR TO FIND OUT WHAT’

Sierra Snowstorm: Live updates on snow impacts, Northern California rain

Now that snow has begun in the Sierra on Thursday, it won’t let up anytime soon.Our KCRA 3 weather team is calling Friday and Saturday Alert Days, specifically in the Sierra, because of hazardous conditions that include several feet of snow, strong winds and travel impacts. You should not drive to the Sierra if you do not have to.Thursday through Sunday will be Impact Days in the Sacramento Valley because of rain. Flooding is not expected, but there may be some ponding on certain roadways.Related ContentForecast timeline for Sierra snow, Valley rainWhat does a blizzard warning for the Sierra actually mean?Track Doppler radar for California snowstorm, traffic mapsBelow, you can find live updates on snow impacts.6:15 p.m.: A semi-truck was rear-ended as at least one passenger was putting chains on the wheels on the eastbound I-80 near Cisco Road onramp. 6 p.m.: A blanket of snow hit Meyers along Highway 50. KCRA 3’s Maricela De La Cruz was there to describe the sudden change in conditions. 4 p.m.: Chain controls are in place along I-80 in the Sierra. KCRA 3’s Deneeka Hill is in Kingsvale and says some drivers are losing their chains while traveling up the road. 3:45 p.m.: Yosemite National Park says it will be closed from midnight all the way through Sunday at noon if not later due to the storm. Anyone visiting the park is being asked to leave as soon as possible and no late than Friday at noon. 1:35 p.m.: Snow is now visible along Highway 50.12:30 p.m.: KCRA 3’s Maricela De La Cruz was at Sierra-at-Tahoe, which decided to also close today along with closing Friday.Ski lifts were not moving and some people could be seen leaving. The resort’s general manager told KCRA 3 that he would play opening and closing by ear each day based on conditions.12 p.m.: Watch our weather coverage from the 12 p.m. newscast below.11:39 a.m.: Eastbound Interstate 80 at Donner Summit has reopened hours after a big rig overturned and blocked lanes.11:25 a.m.: These are chain controls as of this writing, according to Caltrans.Interstate 80Eastbound — Chains are required for all four-wheel-drive vehicles with snow tires on all wheels from Kingvale in Placer County to Truckee in Nevada County.I-80 in this direction is closed to all big rigs due to an overturned big rig at Donner Summit blocking lanes. Caltrans recommends drivers choose an alternate route.Westbound — Chains are required for all vehicles except four-wheel-drive vehicles with snow tires from Kingvale to roughly five miles west of Kingvale.Trucks are being screened five miles west of Reno at Mogul. Drivers must have chains in their possession to proceed.Highway 50No traffic restrictions at this time.10:58 a.m.: The California Department of Water Resources announced the findings of its third Phillips Station snow survey of the season.9:30 a.m.: KCRA 3’s Melanie Wingo was at the Foothills along Highway 50, where people stocked up on supplies ahead of the snowstorm.8:40 a.m.: Sierra-at-Tahoe plans to either stay open or closed depending on snow conditions. General Manager John Rice talked about his plans for the safety of guests and staff.7:36 a.m.: An overturned big rig has eastbound Interstate 80 shut down. Officials said speed was a factor, and chain controls were not in effect at the time. The estimated time of reopening is 1:15 p.m.6:30 a.m.: The California Department of Water Resources is doing its third snow survey Thursday morning, a day early because of hazardous snowy conditions forecast on Friday.Get California storm-readyDownload our app for the latest breaking news and weather alertsTrack live California Doppler radarSee our live traffic mapSend us your weather videos and photosBe prepared for road closures: Download Caltrans’ QuickMap app or check the latest QuickMap road conditions here. This will also show chain control information.Follow our KCRA weather team on social mediaChief meteorologist Mark Finan on Facebook and TwitterMeteorologist Tamara Berg on Facebook and TwitterMeteorologist Dirk Verdoorn on FacebookMeteorologist/Climate Reporter Heather Waldman on Facebook and TwitterWatch our forecasts on TV or onlineHere’s where to find our latest video forecast. You can also watch a livestream of our latest newscast here. The banner on our website turns red when we’re live.We’re also streaming on the Very Local app for Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV.

TWIN BRIDGES, Calif. —

Now that snow has begun in the Sierra on Thursday, it won’t let up anytime soon.

Our KCRA 3 weather team is calling Friday and Saturday Alert Days, specifically in the Sierra, because of hazardous conditions that include several feet of snow, strong winds and travel impacts. You should not drive to the Sierra if you do not have to.

Thursday through Sunday will be Impact Days in the Sacramento Valley because of rain. Flooding is not expected, but there may be some ponding on certain roadways.

Get California storm-ready

Follow our KCRA weather team on social media

Watch our forecasts on TV or online

Here’s where to find our latest video forecast. You can also watch a livestream of our latest newscast here. The banner on our website turns red when we’re live.

We’re also streaming on the Very Local app for Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV.

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