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A massive blizzard is slamming northern and central California with heavy snow and high winds. The storm could produce three to five inches of snow per hour over the weekend and dump up to 12 feet across parts of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The storm could break the single-day snowfall record at the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab of 52" set in 1989.
The blizzard is also producing dangerous wind gusts that could top 150 mph in some areas.
"Sierra travel will be treacherous through the weekend, with a period of life-threatening blizzard conditions Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. Avoid travel into the Sierra through this weekend!" the National Weather Service said.
The National Park Service said that Yosemite National Park will be closed until at least Sunday, with up to eight feet of snow in the forecast.
The storm could also create avalanches, prompting the Sierra Avalanche Center to issue an avalanche watch for the Central Sierra Nevada Mountains, which includes the Greater Lake Tahoe area.
"The Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee has issued a Backcountry Avalanche Watch for the Central Sierra Nevada Mountains, which includes the Greater Lake Tahoe area. HIGH to EXTREME avalanche danger may occur Fri AM-Sun PM," the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada, said on X.