Much of Northern California and the Sierra Nevada braced for potential flooding into the weekend as a winter storm that dumped more than 2 feet of snow around Lake Tahoe made its way toward Utah and the Rockies.
Stiff winds toppled a towering evergreen tree into an Oregon home, killing an 8-year-old girl, while blizzard conditions closed major highways and triggered a small avalanche in the Sierra on Wednesday as wet, windy storms pummeled much of the West.
The child, Zaylee Schlect, was the daughter of a volunteer firefighter who was working during the storm that downed trees throughout the state on Tuesday night. She was killed in Otis, a town near the coast. Others inside the home were uninjured, authorities said.
Another foot of snow was expected early Thursday in the upper elevations around Lake Tahoe, where more than 2 feet fell Tuesday through Wednesday, snarling traffic.
Flash flood watches were issued for most of the Sierra along the Nevada-California line, where the National Weather Service said the potential for another 6 to 12 inches of rain would create serious flooding concerns into the weekend.
As much as 6 inches of rain was reported Wednesday in Doyle, California about 40 miles north of Reno, Nevada and more than an inch in Carson City and Sparks, the weather service said. Officials in Reno and Sparks and neighboring rural counties said they would start making sandbags available for residents and local residents on Thursday.
All major Sierra passes were closed Wednesday night, including a 50-mile stretch of U.S. Interstate 80 — from about 50 miles east of Sacramento, California, in the foothills near Colfax to Truckee, about 30 miles southwest of Reno, Nevada. The eastbound portion of I-80 was reopened early Thursday morning, the California Department of Transportation said on its website.
“We are looking at near white-out conditions,” Nevada Department of Transportation spokeswoman Meg Ragonese said earlier Wednesday when they closed the only state highway connecting Reno to Lake Tahoe.
Nevada state trooper Dan Gordon said visibility was near zero at times, but there were no reports of major accidents.
“Just a lot of slide-offs and roadway conditions that are just horrendous — really treacherous,” he said. Even cars with chains were getting stuck and sliding off the road, he said.
In Utah, snow that accumulated over several days caused the roof of a business to collapse in Provo. No injuries were reported.
Snow was also falling in Wyoming, where a winter storm warning was posted for much of the Interstate 80 corridor, including Cheyenne. Heavy snow was also expected in Colorado.
In New Mexico, forecasters said a blustery winter storm will produce significant snowfall and strong winds across much of the northern and eastern parts of the state beginning late Wednesday and peaking early Friday.
Some highways flooded Wednesday in the San Francisco Bay Area, and mud and rockslides were reported in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The San Lorenzo River was swollen and the Big Sur River was also above flood stage. Flood warnings and watches were issued for 11 counties in the region, and forecasters said heavy rains would last through Thursday.
The storm could be a boon for drought-plagued California by boosting the snowpack that provides about a third of the state’s water in normal years when it melts in warm, dry months.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
CLIMATE CHANGE?????????
Climate change didn’t say that the weather is going to be hotter. The main point was that the weather will be wilder. And it has been. Where I live we used to have a lot more snow. Two winters ago we had an ice storm. This year Christmas was black. And in January it’s been warm and cold.
Earth’s climate has been changing since God created it.
Hang on ride it through
welcome to winter- why are people so surprised when it snows in winter. Now if it was mid July we would have a real reason for a climate change conversation.
Nothing to do with climate change, just Mother Nature doing her usual. A few years we had 40 days of constant rain, some soft and some hard, and no floods. We need the rain, it is filling the aquifers nicely and maybe the nut governor will again look at how to preserve the liquid and avoid drought, but I doubt it. I prefer rain to snow but the skiers need snow, especially those from So. Ca who love to spend big bucks on skiing either hurting themselves or running into trees and killing themselves, but they are no big loss to the state or the nation in the opinion of many. Mother Nature does her thing and has done since this planet came into existence, so don’t waste money on solar, windmills that kill important birds/bats, etc., or any other con game and use the money to live a little bit of the high life!
I don’t believe what you mentioned about Mother Nature it is wrong to answer. It is God control on earth I guess you did not read the Holy Bible (King Jame Version ) not NIV or NKJV
SUSAN THE BIBLE IS ALL MYTHOLOGY NO FACTS
Jim let us assume you are right. What is the problem with living by the Golden rule? What is your problem with trying to live a life that wants better for humanity and to do right by each other? If we are wrong we have lost nothing, we tried to be considerate of others and helpful. Now if you are wrong and you deny the living God and his son Jesus Christ what do you have to look forward to?
Susan trying to get a non-believer to believe is commendable, but more times than not it is an effort of futility. For them to understand would require them to read, which would mean turning off the television, that box that tells lies to your vision. Turning away from their man made idols is no different today than it was ages ago, you will always have those who don’t believe no matter what proof you have or facts you can give. So just keep them in prayer.
Finally some moisture , build another reserviour and save the ocean from sea level rise.
California has a political water problem. The Governors of this State along with the Serra club have did a great injustice to the people of the Sacramento valley and Southern California. Your probably thinking what is this guy talking about. You can find out by going NAER INFO and read Congressman Devin Nunez report and watch the video DEAD HARVEST and drink in all the info. On California’s water white wash, put in this address and get educated. http://www.naer.info
Repent and Pray like you have never repented and prayed before. Keep thinking God doesn’t exist and that there are no consequences for the evil we have allowed to take place in this nation and the atrocities that we are directly responsible for around the world. Californians are in for it too with the allowing of child prostitution, you liberals turned my beautiful state into Sodom and that is why I left.