Winter Weather Warnings for 3 States As Travel Advice Issued

Swathes of the U.S. have been slapped with winter storm warnings with gusty winds and heavy snowfall set to batter several areas.

Officials at the National Weather Service (NWS) have raised the alarm by issuing a series of warnings that cover areas across three states: California, Nevada, and Alaska. Accumulations of up to 20 inches of snow are forecast in some parts, while drivers in other areas have been warned to beware of “hazardous conditions.”

Dalton Highway Alaska — The Dalton Highway in the Brooks Range area of North Slope Borough, Alaska, on May 10, 2024 . Drivers across Alaska have been warned to check the weather forecasts after a series of winter storm…

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Why It Matters

The news comes amid a miserable winter that has seen a string of similar warnings or advisories issued in recent weeks. Storms have already brought whiteout conditions and power outages to the East Coast. The inclement weather creates dangerous driving conditions, while heavy snowfall may bring down tree branches or even power lines. Residents are also put at risk from the freezing temperatures; hypothermia warnings were issued for several states recently as the temperatures plunged.

What To Know

A number of areas across California have been hit by warnings. Drivers heading to the eastern Mojave Desert have been warned by NWS that travel “could be very difficult to impossible at times” through Mountain Pass. Snow is expected with “accumulations of 3 to 5 inches at Mountain Pass, and up to 7 inches above 5000 feet.” The NWS warning will remain in place until 10:00 p.m. on Monday.

Riverside County Mountains and San Bernardino County Mountains are also covered by a winter storm warning. “Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. Travel could be very difficult to impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday morning commute.” And those around the eastern San Gabriel Mountains were warned to brace for snow of up to 14 inches and wind gusts of up to 35 mph.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) has warned of the snowy conditions on the I-5 and shared footage on X (formerly Twitter) of the drivers carefully crawling along as the traffic is slowed down by fierce snow flurries on Sunday night. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has been laying sand on the road to provide traction for drivers.

The southern areas of Clark County in Nevada have also been hit with a warning that will remain in place until 10:00 p.m. on Monday. “Plan on icy and/or snow-covered roads in southern Clark County, mainly Nipton Road between Nipton and Searchlight,” the NWS warned.

In Alaska, up to 20 inches of snow are possible in Thompson Pass, NWS meteorologists said, with “winds gusting as high as 60 mph.” The experts said: “Heavy snow will persist for Thompson Pass through early Monday afternoon, with snowfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour possible. Gusty southerly winds with snow will reduce visibilities to one half mile or less at times.”

The upper Kuskokwim Valley in Alaska has also been warned to prepare for snow, ice accumulation, and “significant freezing rain in the vicinity of McGrath.” The middle Yukon Valley and lower Yukon and Innoko Valleys were also covered by an warning into the early hours of Monday morning. While anyone in or around the White Mountains and high terrain south of the Yukon River was told to expect “snow, blowing snow, and high winds… [with] visibility one half mile or less at times in blowing snow.”

Other areas covered by winter warnings in Alaska are the south slopes of the central Brooks Range, the upper Koyukuk Valley, and Dalton Highway summits.

What People Are Saying

The National Weather Service said: “A Winter Storm Warning for snow means severe winter weather conditions will make travel very hazardous. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.”