FEB 12, 2021: Squaw Valley received 14 inches of snow on the upper mountains in the last 24 hours, 16 inches at Alpine Meadows. While the skies have cleared for a bluebird powder day, more snow is expected tomorrow, possibly impacting travel and traf … (Brandon Skinner/Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows.)
MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. - The first in the latest series of winter storms predicted for California and western Nevada has brought more snow to the Sierra Nevada.
The Mammoth Mountain ski resort reported early Friday it received 15 inches to 18 inches overnight and was doing avalanche mitigation.
Sierra at Tahoe reported a foot of fresh snow on its summit.
"Mother Nature lined this one up perfectly!" the resort said in its weather report.
Bluebird conditions were expected to be followed by a second storm late Friday into Saturday and then another storm late Sunday into Monday, "arguably the worst time during the holiday weekend," the National Weather Service’s Reno office wrote.
"This third storm in the series will usher in more gusty winds, chances for snow and impacts to the end of the holiday weekend," the weather service said. "Forecaster confidence remains high for travel disruptions along the Sierra passes with all of these systems and some concerns for western Nevada roadways too."
Although modest, the storm added to the lagging Sierra snowpack, an important part of California's water supply. The Feb. 3 snowpack survey found its water content was 70% of average to date.