A powerful winter storm will push onshore across the West this weekend, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and substantial mountain snowfall, federal forecasters said.
The National Weather Service said an upper-level trough will move over the West Coast from Saturday evening into Monday. Showers and higher-elevation snow are expected across the Pacific Northwest on and off from Saturday through late Sunday, becoming steadier by Monday afternoon.
Rain is forecast to spread into parts of California overnight Saturday, with snow beginning at higher elevations Sunday morning and intensifying into Monday. Significant accumulations are expected over the Sierra Nevada Sunday night into Monday.
AccuWeather projects very cold freezing levels in Northern California, allowing major snowfall over the high terrain. Interstate 80 through the Sierra could pick up 2 to 4 feet of snow, and Donner Pass may be forced to close at times between late Sunday night and Monday night.
Many Sierra ski areas are forecast to receive 3 to 5 feet of new snow, with locally higher totals through Tuesday. Donner Summit could see as much as 5 feet, while Mammoth is forecast to get up to about 3.5 feet in the