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Missouri Mule
01-11-2005, 09:35 AM
I've driven in light snow fall out there and it was scary enough. I can't imagine what this would be like.
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The Denver Post

Reno-Lake Tahoe area buried in snow
The region sees the most snow it's had since 1916, up to 19 feet in places. Storms have also wreaked havoc across other states.
By Martin Griffith
The Associated Press

Monday, January 10, 2005 -

Reno, Nev. - Areas of the Sierra Nevada, famous for paralyzing amounts of snowfall, have been hit with a dumping like they haven't seen in generations, with steep drifts stranding an Amtrak train, knocking out the Reno airport and shutting down major highways across the mountains.

A string of moisture-laden storms has dropped up to 19 feet of snow at elevations above 7,000 feet since Dec. 28 and 6 1/2 feet at lower elevations in the Reno area. Meteorologists said it was the most snow the Reno-Lake Tahoe area has seen since 1916.

Storms also have caused flooding in Southern California and Arizona, deadly avalanches in Utah and ice damage and flooding in the Ohio Valley.

The weather was blamed for at least seven weekend deaths in Southern California, including a homeless man killed Sunday by a landslide. Along the storms' eastward track, avalanches killed two people Saturday in Utah, authorities said.

A lull in the storm allowed the reopening Sunday of Interstate 80 over Donner Summit and U.S. 50 over Echo Summit after the highways were closed off and on for more than a day. The highways connect Sacramento, Calif., to Reno.

"The snowbanks along Interstate 80 are about 8 to 10 feet high. It's like you're going through a maze," said Jane Dulaney, spokeswoman for the Rainbow Lodge west of Donner Summit.

About 25 motorists were rescued by National Guard members in Humvees after they become stranded overnight on U.S. Highway 395 about 20 miles south of Reno, Highway Patrol Trooper Jeff Bowers said. Motorists had to wait up to six hours until rescuers could reach them after daylight Sunday.

More than 220 Amtrak passengers were back in Sacramento on Sunday after spending the night stuck in their train in deep snow west of Donner Summit.

One car of the California Zephyr, eastbound from Oakland, Calif., to Chicago, derailed in the snow Saturday evening. No one was hurt. Amtrak officials moved the passengers to other cars, and the train reversed course and returned to Sacramento about 6 a.m.

Reno-Tahoe International Airport was closed for 12 hours overnight for the second time in a week, and only the third time in 40 years, because plows could not keep up with the heavy snowfall...

(Snip)

http://www.denverpost.com/cda/article/print/0,1674,36%257E11676%257E2644443,00.html

GI Joe
01-11-2005, 09:39 AM
That is worse than Buffalo.

poly_nightmare
01-11-2005, 11:48 AM
It's snowing here right now. They're predicting 2-4 inches of snow today and tomorrow with some freezing rain.

Thursday...60 degrees
Saturday...28 degrees

Here's my freaky weather report.

http://www.weather.com/weather/local/10918?lswe=10918&lwsa=WeatherLocalUndeclared

One week it an earthquake and tsunamis, the following week it's rain, snow, and mudslides. Mother Earth been mean lately.

Rivet
01-11-2005, 11:52 AM
One week it an earthquake and tsunamis, the following week it's rain, snow, and mudslides. Mother Earth been mean lately.

The end is near! :eek:

Next week it will be raining frogs. :rolleyes:

spork
01-11-2005, 11:18 PM
I lived in Tahoe City 10 years ago. We didn't have snow like this all at once, but the first winter I lived there, the snowfall for the winter was 100 ft. More snow in one place than I've ever seen. The biggest storm I remember dumped about 8 feet in 3 days, which doesn't compare to this.

I heard from a friend who lives in Reno, which never gets this much snow. He says that some buildings are collapsing - and the city is in basic chaos.

Bet the snowblower wars are fierce in Tahoe.

Platypus
01-12-2005, 07:59 AM
I've driven in light snow fall out there and it was scary enough. I can't imagine what this would be like.
I was thinking the same thing when I heard about this. Some of those hairpin turns with three-hundred-foot drops down to the lake on both sides (on the southeast section) are scary even in perfect conditions. The almost-funny part is that about three years ago I was at a conference in the area and brought along my snowboard for a couple of extra days at Heavenly...which was suffering through an unusual lack of snow. At least I got to watch the Patriots-Raiders "snow bowl" on TV (I would have had more snow if I'd stayed home) and listen to the guy in the next room go apoplectic over the "tuck rule" call. I was tempted to cheer a bit for the Pats, but that might not have been prudent in what's far more likely to be Raider country.

Myglarn
01-12-2005, 08:23 AM
Curious.. Northern Europe is having record warm winther :). January and February is supposed to be the coldest months of the year with -15-30C (-59-86F) with lots of snow. Now it's 0-8C (32-46F) and no snow at all. Lot's of rain though.

green lantern
01-12-2005, 10:46 AM
It's snowing here right now. They're predicting 2-4 inches of snow today and tomorrow with some freezing rain.

Thursday...60 degrees
Saturday...28 degrees

Here's my freaky weather report.

http://www.weather.com/weather/local/10918?lswe=10918&lwsa=WeatherLocalUndeclared

One week it an earthquake and tsunamis, the following week it's rain, snow, and mudslides. Mother Earth been mean lately.60 degrees today, rain, mid 50's thursday, rain, back into the teens for the weekend here.

spork
01-12-2005, 06:36 PM
Wow, wacky world weather!

Good thing there's no such thing as global warming!