Parts of Sierra Nevada Likely to Get 10 Feet of Snow From Powerful Storm by Weekend

The forecast forced residents to take shelter and prompted Yosemite National Park and at least one Lake Tahoe ski resort to close.

Snowboarders walk in the snow in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., on Feb. 19, 2024. Jacob Myhre/Mammoth Lakes Tourism via AP

RENO, Nev.—The most powerful Pacific storm of the season is forecast to bring up to 10 feet (3 meters) of snow into the Sierra Nevada by the weekend, forcing residents to take shelter and prompting Yosemite National Park and at least one Lake Tahoe ski resort to close.

The storm began barreling into the region on Thursday, with the biggest effects expected to close major highways and trigger power outages Friday afternoon into Saturday. A blizzard warning through Sunday morning covers a 300-mile (482-kilometer) stretch from north of Lake Tahoe to south of Yosemite National Park.