Yosemite National Park will temporarily close Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road at 5 p.m. Pacific on Thursday, Nov. 12, ahead of a storm that could make travel difficult across the Sierra Nevada this weekend. The National Park Service says the closure covers Tioga Road, the continuation of Highway 120 through the park. It has given no reopening time in the notice.
The National Weather Service raised its Lake Tahoe snow forecast Wednesday afternoon. The Greater Lake Tahoe watch runs from 10 a.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday, Pacific time. Forecasters say up to 20 inches could fall along the crest west of the lake, with about a foot above 7,000 feet elsewhere in the watch area and up to 6 inches below that elevation. A burst of heavy snow is most likely late Friday afternoon into the evening. Ridge gusts could reach 70 to 90 mph.
The Sacramento office's separate watch covers higher stretches of Interstate 80 and U.S. 50 from Friday morning through Monday afternoon. It warns that snow and gusts could bring near-whiteout conditions, with the heaviest snow expected Friday night into Saturday morning. In Mono County, the Friday afternoon to Saturday morning watch calls for 1 to 2 feet above 7,000 feet and gusts of 45 to 55 mph along parts of U.S. 395.
If you're driving over Donner Summit or Echo Summit, check Caltrans QuickMap for current closures and chain controls before leaving. The weather watches describe expected conditions. Road restrictions are posted separately and can change during the storm. For roads inside Yosemite, use the park's conditions page or call 209-372-0200 and select 1, then 1.
