Winter Storm Warning Issued for Northern Sierra Nevada and Shasta County Through Wednesday

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Sacramento has issued a Winter Storm Warning for multiple regions in Northern California. The alert is effective starting Sunday night and is scheduled to remain in place until late Wednesday evening.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a broad geographic area including:

• West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada and Western Plumas County/Lassen Park: Including major travel corridors such as Interstate 80 and Highway 50.
• Shasta County: Northern Shasta County (including portions of Interstate 5), Shasta Lake Area, and Burney Basin/Eastern Shasta County.
• Foothills and Coastal Range: Northeast Foothills, the Motherlode, and the Mountains from Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County.

What You Should Do

Travel is expected to be dangerous to near impossible during the peak of the storm. Residents and travelers should prepare for chain controls and potential road closures. Before traveling, check the latest road conditions via Caltrans at quickmap.dot.ca.gov or by dialing 5-1-1. Low visibility due to blowing snow will make driving hazardous.

Expected Conditions

Significant snow accumulation and high winds are forecast for the region:

• Snow Accumulations: Up to 1 foot at elevations between 2,000 and 2,500 feet; 1 to 2 feet between 2,500 and 3,500 feet; and 4 to 8 feet at higher elevations.
• Wind: Wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph are expected.
• Snow Levels: Levels will start around 4,500–5,500 feet Sunday night through Monday, dropping to 2,500–3,500 feet by Monday night. By Tuesday and Wednesday, snow levels will fall to 1,500–2,500 feet, with the potential to reach as low as 1,000 feet in the Coastal Range and Shasta County areas.

Timeline

The Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 10:00 PM PST Sunday, February 15, through 10:00 PM PST Wednesday, February 18.