Powerful storm approaching California could dump 10 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada

California is bracing for a powerful winter storm that could bring up to 10 feet of snow and high winds to the Sierra Nevada.

“A second winter storm will impact the West Coast on Thursday and Friday,” the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Weather Prediction Center said in a forecast discussion Thursday.

“The storm will create heavy mountain snow that will affect many passes. Multiple feet of snow are likely (over 80% chance) for higher elevations, especially above 5000 feet, including many Cascade and Sierra Nevada Mountain passes,” the notice added. “Extremely heavy snow rates surpassing 3 inches per hour are likely.”

On Wednesday, the prediction center warned of the possibility of blizzard-like conditions, including 5 feet to 10 feet of snowfall by the weekend, most notably in the more elevated regions of the mountain range.

They service also warned of potential avalanches.

“This will result in a travel nightmare for the mountain passes that are affected, and will likely result in numerous road closures,” the center said. “There will also be moderate to heavy snow for the higher terrain of the Northern Rockies, but not to the same magnitude as the Sierra and Cascades.”

The NWS’s office in Reno, Nev., also noted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that winter storm warnings were issued for the “Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area” from Thursday night to Saturday night and from north Washoe County to Surprise Valley Thursday night to Saturday evening.

“Accumulating snowfall could impact the Friday morning and evening commutes — plan extra time,” the Reno office said in a subsequent post. “Winds will increase during periods of lighter snowfall Friday.”

“Travel could be very difficult to impossible with whiteout conditions at times late Friday into Saturday,” it warned.