Sierra Nevada hit by April storm

A late-season storm turned Sierra Nevada travel hazardous over the weekend, with whiteout snow, chain controls and temporary closures on the main mountain crossings. (weather.gov) (dot.ca.gov) By Sunday, April 12, the National Weather Service in Reno said the Greater Lake Tahoe area could pick up another 3 to 8 inches around communities, 8 to 12 inches above 7,000 feet and up to 15 inches on the crest. The warning stayed in effect until 11 p.m. Sunday. (weather.gov) The Sacramento weather office said the west slope of the northern Sierra and western Plumas County were under a winter storm warning through late Sunday, with 1 to 2 feet above 4,500 feet and up to 3 to 4 feet on the highest peaks. Minor accumulations of 2 to 4 inches were possible down to 4,000 feet. (weather.gov) On Interstate 80, Caltrans reported Sunday morning that chains were required from east of Gold Run to the Nevada state line for eastbound traffic, and from the state line to east of Baxter for westbound traffic. Trucks were screened at Applegate and west of Reno, and permit loads were barred. (dot.ca.gov) Local television outlets reported that Interstate 80 and U.S. Highway 50 both saw closures during the storm before restrictions eased, and KCRA reported chain controls were lifted on both roads by 2 p.m. Sunday. (cbsnews.com) (kcra.com) Forecasters warned that the problem was not just snow totals but visibility. The Reno office said snow bursts could make travel “very difficult to impossible,” while another Sierra warning said visibility could fall below one-quarter mile in blowing and falling snow. (weather.gov 1) (weather.gov 2) That made the storm unusual for mid-April, when lower elevations in California are already in spring mode but Sierra passes can still flip back into winter. CBS Sacramento noted the region had already been dealing with repeated chain controls from earlier February storms, and another April storm had brought controls to Interstate 80 at the start of the month. (cbsnews.com 1) (cbsnews.com 2) California transportation officials direct drivers to QuickMap, 511 and highway condition pages for live restrictions because Sierra controls can change by the hour. By Monday morning, published reports said the winter storm warnings had expired and crest winds had dropped sharply, though road conditions were still being updated. (dot.ca.gov) (quickmap.dot.ca.gov) (yahoo.com)