Howling Winds Reach 101 MPH in Sierra Ahead of Big Winter Storm
The first big winter storm is descending into Northern California this week and if the winds are any indication, it’s going to be BIG.
The Sierra Nevada mountains experienced some extreme winds on Monday, with readings from Tahoe to Mammoth hitting the triple digit mark. In the Tahoe area, winds were recorded up to 67 mph at Alpine Meadows, with Kirkwood recording winds of 54 mph:
But it was down south in the Mammoth Area that saw the really extreme winds, with the Mammoth Airport recording winds of 94 mph and Lake Crowley seeing winds up to 101 mph:
New wind observations from Crowley Lake with wind gusts of 101 mph!
— NWS Reno (@NWSReno) November 25, 2019
The winds are just the precursor of what’s proving to be a massive storm set to hit NorCal on Tuesday. The mountain areas are expected to see up to 3 feet of snow through Thursday, significantly hindering holiday travel as Thanksgiving approaches.
“Travel could be very difficult to impossible,†said the National Weather Service. “If you are traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday … finish your travels by midday Tuesday.â€
As of Tuesday morning, here’s what the storm looks like:
Satellite imagery shows rapid strengthening, or "#bombogenesis", of the mid-latitude cyclone off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. This system will bring a variety of inclement weather to #NorCal today thru Thanksgiving! #CAwx pic.twitter.com/2TPVlIfCPz
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) November 26, 2019
Buckle up, NorCal. We have a doozy of a storm ahead of us.