California Closes Multiple Mountain Passes as Spring Snowstorm Arrives

Multiple mountain highways have shut down across California as a late-season storm spins up with the potential for snow in the Sierra Nevada.

In a social media post on Tuesday, May 26, Caltrans announced that Ebbetts Pass (SR-4), Monitor Pass (SR-89), and Sonora Pass (SR-108) had all closed due to incoming weather conditions, with plans to assess the roads after the storm had passed. Tioga Road, which takes drivers into Yosemite National Park, is also closed.

For the latest road updates, you can use QuickMap. 

Now, this isn’t an intense February or March storm, but the ski resort Mammoth Mountain, according to Powderchasers, could see as much as seven inches of snow by the time the powder faucets shut off. Around Lake Tahoe, only a few inches are expected. 

The forecasters also advised that during this storm, freezing levels will be somewhat high, ranging between 6,000 and 9,000 feet. Still, the National Weather Service Reno said that on Wednesday morning, those freezing levels could dip as low as 5,000 feet, “creating slick travel over some Sierra passes.”

Snow isn’t the only thing going on in the atmosphere. The NWS Reno added that during the period of unsettled weather, there could be a few thunderstorms. 

Further south, the agency’s Hanford office cautioned that those thunderstorms could be strong, with “frequent dangerous lightning, small hail, brief heavy rainfall, & gusty erratic winds.” They’re possible during the afternoons and evenings through Thursday, according to the NWS.

If you’re hoping to do some hiking or camping, though, don’t fret—the cold shouldn’t last too long. After Thursday, warm, springy weather is in the forecast.

Mammoth is now the only open ski resort in California. Thanks to this latest surge of chilly weather, it announced another season extension, pushing its closing date to June 7. Previously, Mammoth planned to wrap up the season on May 31. The other hold-out, Palisades Tahoe, ended ski operations on May 24. 

Beyond California, just a few other options for lift-served skiing remain. Beartooth Basin, Wyoming, kicked off its summer season earlier this week. Timberline Lodge, Oregon, the famed summer skiing hotspot, is still in business. Sunshine Village, Alberta, plans to reopen for more than a week of skiing in June. 

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