SIERRA SNOW
A STRONG STORM SYSTEM SPREAD HEAVY SNOW AND HIGH WIND TUESDAY THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS OF THE WEST, WITH UP TO 3 FEET IN THE SIERRA NEVADA.WINTER STORM WARNINGS WERE POSTED FOR MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, IDAHO, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA, WITH WINTER STORM WATCHES IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF WYOMING, WASHINGTON AND COLORADO. TWO TO 3 FEET OF NEW SNOW WAS REPORTED AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRAS NORTH OF SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK.KINGS BEACH, CALIF., ON THE NORTH SHORE OF LAKE TAHOE, REPORTED OVER 2 FEET OF NEW SNOW, WITH 2 FEET AT KINGVALE, NEV.; DONNER SUMMIT, CALIF.; SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF., AND ECHO SUMMIT, CALIF., THE WEATHER SERVICE SAID.OVER 10 INCHES OF SNOW FELL AT TUSCARORA, NEV., DURING THE MORNING, WITH 5 TO 8 INCHES IN THE RENO AREA.BLOWING SNOW CLOSED A 60-MILE STRETCH OF INTERSTATE 80, THE MAIN EAST-WEST LINK THROUGH THE SIERRA NEVADA FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, BETWEEN APPLEGATE AND THE NEVADA LINE. ABOUT 50 MILES OF U.S. 50 RUNNING THROUGH THE SIERRA TO LAKE TAHOE WAS CLOSED BECAUSE OF AVALANCHE DANGER, THE STATE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SAID.