Jacob Spender, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Sacramento, urged people to take precautions in the coming days, advising them to pack winter safety kits, especially if they plan to travel as winter storm warnings were in place from southwest Oregon to the Southern California border.
Forecasters said the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, northern Shasta County — including portions of Interstate 5 — and parts of the state’s Coast Range could see up to 8 feet of snow before the storm moves through late Wednesday.
The heavy snow, wind and low visibility could also make travel conditions dangerous to near impossible, forecasters added. As of Monday, drivers navigating the Sierra Nevada were warned chains were required on vehicles to make it through snowy roads.
Other states on Monday were bracing for different threatening weather events. Residents in parts of eastern Colorado received warnings Monday that they could be in fire danger due to a combination of abnormally high temperatures, gusty winds and dry conditions. The risks are expected to continue further into the week as gusts up to 60 mph are likely to hit the Colorado eastern plains on Tuesday. Parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Kansas were also under red flag warnings.
