Heavy snows and frigid temperatures continue to plague the West Monday, and show no signs of stopping — forcing several highways in Northern California and Nevada to close, with travel warnings issued in the snow-lashed Sierra Nevada.
Threat level: The National Weather Service said significant snowfall hit West Coast mountain ranges and the Intermountain West, with record cold weather in the Pacific Northwest. Meanwhile, the U.S. South was experiencing "unusually warm temperatures," with dozens of cities in the lower 48 states on track for their warmest December on record.
Here's the latest from Caltrans ... I-80 will remain CLOSED today. 👇 https://t.co/WlglRgsltX
— NWS Reno (@NWSReno) December 27, 2021
The big picture: As Southern states sweltered, wintry conditions were impacting cities from the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California to Seattle — with the NWS issuing winter storm warnings for greater Lake Tahoe and other parts of California that it said extended "as far south as the Transverse Range of Southern California."
- In Nevada, crews in the Reno area responded to two separate pileups Sunday, including one involving 20 cars that resulted in at least three patients being taken to the hospital, according to local authorities.
For the record: Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered state offices to remain closed on Monday due to the forecast of more heavy snow and wind, as police and the state Department of Transportation reported "dangerous road conditions in Carson City, Washoe County and Douglas County areas," per a statement from the governor....
- Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency on Thursday in