Spring storm dumps more than 3.5 feet of snow on California’s Sierra

Summary

A spring storm swept across California’s eastern Sierra Nevada over the weekend, dropping heavy snowfall that prompted brief shutdowns on Interstate 80 and kept ski activity going at Mammoth Mountain into the new week, resort and weather updates said. The storm delivered more than 3.5 feet (1 meter) of snow in the region near Mammoth Lakes, according to the Associated Press report.

The weekend storm arrived only weeks after a March heat wave melted much of California’s snow, forcing many ski resorts to close, the report said. With conditions turning colder again, Mammoth Mountain said it extended operations by keeping lifts running as the storm’s effects played out.

UC Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Lab said it recorded 42.5 inches (53.5 cm) of snowfall between Friday and Sunday, describing that accumulation as helpful for building a late-season snowpack. In a social-media update, the lab added that record warm temperatures this winter left the region “still well below average for the water year.”

The lab’s earlier measurement of the Sierra snowpack underscored how limited the season’s overall accumulation has been. The report said that on April 1, the snowpack — which it said provides one-third of California’s water — stood at 18% of average and was the second-lowest reading for that date in records for the mountains near Lake Tahoe.

Travel and weather impacts extended beyond the ski areas. The report said Interstate 80 in Northern California shut down Sunday due to blizzard conditions, and chain controls were in place early Monday on the route between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe.

The storm also brought strong winds along with heavy rain and hail to parts of the region, the report said. The National Weather Service reported that a tornado touched down Sunday near Sacramento, though it said no damage was reported.

Mammoth Mountain said 11 lifts were running Monday as skies cleared, with the resort adding that another couple of inches of snow (5 centimeters) were possible. In its daily report, the resort warned that even with fresh snow, hazards such as dirt, rocks and bushes remained close to the surface, urging skiers and riders to ski and ride with caution and avoid venturing off trail.

Across the U.S. West, the report said snow was vanishing after a warm winter and early spring record heat, noting that Colorado reported what officials described as its worst snowpack since statewide recordkeeping began in 1941. Officials warned that the measurements are a sign water shortages could worsen the ongoing significant drought, with cities in the region imposing water-use restrictions and ranchers weighing how to feed and water cattle as wildfire risk looms.