Unpacking a popular wellness trend
The blizzard left tens of thousands of homes without power, closed major roads, and shut down ski resorts.
A huge blizzard has hit parts of California and Nevada in the Western United States.
Bringing fierce winds, bitter cold, and often heavy snow, blizzards are known as the most severe type of winter storm. And while they're a regular occurrence in most of the US, one surprising snow storm has brought dangerous blizzard conditions to parts of California and Nevada in early March 2024. With wind gusts reportedly reaching 190 mph (305 km/h), cars were left stranded as the storm forced officials to shut down a stretch of Interstate 80.
From Sierra Nevada to Lake Tahoe, check out this gallery as winter storm alerts remain across the region.
A mailbox is covered in snow during a storm on March 3, in Truckee, California.
Snow accumulated on bicycles at a condominium complex near Marriott Truckee hotel in Truckee, California. Definitely not bicycle weather there!
Trees and homes are covered in snow during the powerful multiple day winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
These train workers climbed aboard during the powerful snowstorm on March 1.
As the blizzard calmed down, this person pulled their kid on a sled while taking their dog for a walk on March 3 in Truckee.
People around California's Lake Tahoe have been warned of "high to extreme avalanche danger" due to the heavy snowfall.
This woman is seen clearing off snow from her car. Luckily, she had an ice scraper!
This person used a snowblower in front of a restaurant in Truckee on March 2.
A worker uses a snowblower in front of a home on March 2 in Truckee, California.
A child playing on a snowbank in Truckee on March 2.
According to the National Weather Service, more than 80 inches (two meters) of snow has piled up since March 1 in Soda Springs, Sugar Bowl, and other mountain towns.
A worker digs out snow from a home on March 2, in Truckee.
A stretch of the Interstate 80 highway was shut down for a while on March 2 due to dangerous driving conditions.
A snow-blanketed Truckee River on March 1.
A customer pushes their grocery cart through the snow in Mammoth Lakes on March 2. Hopefully they got their essentials!
Vehicles are seen on the road as the weather got worse on March 1.
A plow cruised along as snow continued to fall in downtown Truckee on March 2.
A sign for Interstate 80 westbound covered with snow in Truckee on March 1.
Sources: (USA Today) (BBC) (CNN)
See also: Climate change—how extreme weather is affecting our world
As some areas saw three to five inches (seven to 12 cm) of snow falling per hour, plenty of snow clearing machinery was needed on the roads.
For this reason, weather forecasters asked people to remain where they are, as it could take significant time to dig commuters out of the snow if they get stuck.
The blizzard has been especially severe in the mountainous Sierra Nevada region.
A man is seen clearing snow from Church Street in downtown Truckee on March 2.
Emergency service workers and tow trucks had a difficult time getting to motorists due to the blizzard.
A truck is left buried as a blizzard hits Mammoth Lakes, California, on March 2, 2024.
More than 33,000 people in Nevada and nearly 24,000 in California have been left without electricity.
A view of snow-blanketed Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley on March 1.
A group of people wait for a bus to pick them up near Mammoth Lakes on March 2.
Snow storm hits the Western US: the blizzard in California and Nevada captured in images
We wouldn't have seen this coming!
LIFESTYLE Weather
Bringing fierce winds, bitter cold, and often heavy snow, blizzards are known as the most severe type of winter storm. And while they're a regular occurrence in most of the US, one surprising snow storm has brought dangerous blizzard conditions to parts of California and Nevada in early March 2024. With wind gusts reportedly reaching 190 mph (305 km/h), cars were left stranded as the storm forced officials to shut down a stretch of Interstate 80.
From Sierra Nevada to Lake Tahoe, check out this gallery as winter storm alerts remain across the region.