Northern California battered by blizzard, Sierra Nevada residents dig out: See photos

James Powel, USA TODAY
·1 min read
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The moon sets over a peak in the Sierra Nevada mountain range during a blizzard in Big Pine, California on Sunday. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for California's entire Sierra Nevada range through early Sunday. Forecasts report the storm could bring three to five inches of snow per hour.
The moon sets over a peak in the Sierra Nevada mountain range during a blizzard in Big Pine, California on Sunday. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for California's entire Sierra Nevada range through early Sunday. Forecasts report the storm could bring three to five inches of snow per hour.

Blizzard conditions in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California left residents without power and highways across the range closed Sunday.

Blizzard warnings remain in effect Sunday while the California Highway Patrol said that it had "no estimated time" for reopening I-80 on X, formerly Twitter. Over 100 miles of the interstate between Nevada and California remain closed as the storm trapped hundreds of drivers in their cars.

Snow totals are projected to hit up to 12 feet and the storm brought winds of up to 190 mph.

The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for areas above 3,000 feet above sea level and expects up to two feet of snow Sunday in areas above 4,000 feet.

West Coast Blizzard: 12 feet of snow, 190 mph wind gust as 'life threatening' blizzard pounds California

Over half of residents in Sierra County were without power as of 10:30 a.m. local time while thousands of other homes in surrounding counties remain dark, according to USA TODAY's power outage tracker.

Californians dig out from a blizzard

Union Pacific workers board a maintenance train clearing tracks of snow with a snowplow, known as a 'spreader', north of Lake Tahoe during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Saturday in Truckee, California. Blizzard warnings were issued with snowfall of up to 12 feet and wind gusts over 100 mph expected in some higher elevation locations. Yosemite National Park was closed Saturday and will partially reopen at 12 p.m. local time on Sunday. A 50-mile stretch of Interstate 80 was shut down Friday due to the storm.
A resident of a mobile home community shovels snow from their rooftop during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Saturday in Truckee, California. Mobile homes are at risk of roof collapse during heavy snowstorms.
A resident of a mobile home community shovels snow from their rooftop during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Saturday in Truckee, California. Mobile homes are at risk of roof collapse during heavy snowstorms.
A mobile home community resident uses a snowblower during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Saturday in Truckee, California.
A mobile home community resident uses a snowblower during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Saturday in Truckee, California.
People walk during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Saturday in Truckee, California.
People walk during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Saturday in Truckee, California.
Two people walk with their dog as a blizzard hits Mammoth Lakes closing the mountain for skiers in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas of California, on Saturday.
Two people walk with their dog as a blizzard hits Mammoth Lakes closing the mountain for skiers in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas of California, on Saturday.
A Union Pacific worker shovels snow near the railroad tracks during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Saturday in Truckee, California.
A Union Pacific worker shovels snow near the railroad tracks during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Saturday in Truckee, California.
A person rides a snowmobile during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Tuesday in Truckee, California.
A person rides a snowmobile during a powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Tuesday in Truckee, California.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Californians in Sierra Nevadas battered by blizzard dig out: in photos

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