Winter Storm Warning Enhanced for 13 California Zones as Season’s First Major Storm Delivers Up to 2 Feet of Snow

A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect for 13 zones across the Sierra Nevada as the first significant winter storm of the season arrives Friday.

Winter Storm Watches issued earlier this week have been upgraded or extended to warnings from Yosemite to Lassen and across Mono County.

Southern Sierra: up to 18 inches

NWS Hanford’s warning covers 7 zones, including Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks and the upper San Joaquin River area.

It runs from 10 AM Friday to 4 AM PST Tuesday. Totals could reach up to 18 inches above 6,000 feet, with gusts to 50 mph.

Northern Sierra and Lassen

NWS Sacramento’s warning covers 4 zones from Lassen Volcanic National Park to the Sierra above 5,000 feet, including Highway 50, I-80, State Route 4 and State Route 108.

It runs from 10 AM Friday to 10 AM PST Saturday. Totals could reach up to a foot, with up to 2 feet on the highest peaks, and winds could gust to 60 mph.

Heaviest snow is expected Friday night into Saturday morning. More snow follows Sunday night through Monday.

Source: NWS Sacramento on X

Mono County and the Eastern Sierra

NWS Reno upgraded Mono County to a warning from 1 PM Friday to 10 AM PST Saturday. It expects 1 to 2 feet above 7,000 feet and gusts of 60 to 80 mph over ridges.

NWS Las Vegas’ warning for the Eastern Sierra Slopes above 7,000 feet runs until 4 PM PST Saturday. It expects 5 to 10 inches, up to a foot near the crest.

Source: NWS Reno on X

Travel impacts

Travel could be very difficult to impossible. Impacts are expected to hit the Friday evening commute, and…