The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is alerting motorists about a winter storm on its way to the Sierra Nevada that could create challenging mountain travel conditions later tonight and Saturday.
The National Weather Service is forecasting up to two feet of snow above 6,000 feet and four to eight inches above 3,000 feet, with gusty winds up to 50 mph affecting several mountain passes over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 7:00 p.m. tonight through 4:00 a.m. Sunday. Motorists should be prepared for chain controls, additional travel times and delays. Forecasters advise to avoid mountain travel on Saturday if possible.
In the Sacramento Valley, precipitation amounts are forecast between 0.4 and 1.25 inches, with the highest amounts in the foothills and farther north near Redding. Motorists may experience some ponding on roadways that are located in low-lying areas.
