Snow a welcome sight for Sierra ski resorts but not so much for drivers

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. - The storm is bringing up to 8 feet of snow to the Sierra - a welcome sight for many skiers but a nightmare for those driving up to the mountains.   

The ski resorts up in the Sierra have had a rough start to the season, so all this snow is exciting for them.  

"This storm really will probably be looked about as the storm that saved the holidays," said Michael Reitzell, president of Ski California." To have this kind of snow and a cold storm just bringing beautiful conditions, it’s going to make for just a wonderful holiday season and take us right into January." 

But the snow is not helping the drive up there. This is the first big snow of the season to significantly affect travel, with ice and snow on the roads, strong winds and limited visibility. Many roads require chains. The California Highway Patrol posted video of the conditions on Interstate Highway 80, and parts of the road at Colfax near the Nevada stateline are closed because of downed power lines.

In fact, throughout California, motorists on Monday spun out on whitened mountain passes and residents wielded umbrellas that flopped in the face of fierce winds as Northern California absorbed even more rain and snow, bringing the possibility of rockslides and mudslides to areas scarred by wildfires following an especially warm and dry fall across the U.S. West.

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Kirkwood Mountain Resort was closed Monday, saying on social media that it was not safe to open with 17 inches of overnight snow and high winds. A California Highway Patrol car in Truckee nudged a big-rig up a snowy hill while smaller vehicles spun out, resulting in minor bumps and bruises but no real injuries, CHP Officer Carlos Perez said.

"It’s just so bad and so thick," he said of the snowfall, with more expected Monday night. "We’re telling people that if they don’t need to be around this area, they probably shouldn’t travel."

The multiday storm, a powerful "atmospheric river" weather system that is sucking up moisture from the Pacific Ocean, raised the threat of flooding and was expected to dump more than 8 feet of snow on the highest peaks in California and Nevada and drench other parts of the two states before it moves on midweek, forecasters said.

The storm will bring much needed moisture to the broader region that’s been gripped by drought that scientists have said is caused by climate change. The latest U.S. drought monitor shows parts of Montana, Oregon, California, Nevada and Utah are classified as being in exceptional drought, which is the worst category.

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This week’s storm is typical for this time of the year but notable because it’s the first big snow that is expected to significantly affect travel with ice and snow on the roads, strong winds and limited visibility, said National Weather Service meteorologist Anna Wanless in Sacramento.

"Most of California, if not all, will see some sort of rain and snow," she said.

The second storm predicted to hit California midweek shortly after the current storm moves on could deliver almost continuous snow in mountainous areas, said Edan Weishahn of the weather service in Reno, which monitors an area straddling the Nevada state line.

Donner Summit, one of the highest points on Interstate 80 and a major commerce commuter route, could face major travel disruptions or road closures, Weishahn said.

Vail Resorts’ three Tahoe-area ski resorts opened with limited offerings over the weekend after crews produced artificial snow. Northstar and Heavenly were both able to open Monday, but Kirkwood could not, said spokeswoman Sara Roston.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.