With drivers reporting whiteout conditions, up to 20 cars were involved in a crash in northwestern Nevada Sunday morning, according to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
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Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue, which responded to the pileup, said at least three people were taken to the hospital in unknown condition.
“Conditions are extreme in the Washoe Valley with 50 mph winds and whiteout conditions,” the department said in a post to Twitter.
The National Weather Service Office in Reno said in a Twitter post that Sunday was “the type of day to just stay home if you can,” with more snow on the way.
“Quite the wintry morning across the region! Expect major travel delays on all roads. Strong winds are creating areas of considerable blowing snow and whiteout conditions,” NWS Reno said.
The accident happened about 15 miles north of Carson City on U.S. Highway 395.
Meg Ragonese, public information officer for the Nevada Department of Transportation, told CNN that its crews “have been working diligently in staggered 12-hour shifts through the past week to cover 24-hour snow and ice abatement.”
“Crews patrol area highways and closely monitor more than 50 roadside weather/meteorological stations across northwestern Nevada to most efficiently target roadway brine, salt, sand and snow removal on Nevada highways,” Ragonese said.
Heavy snow and high winds will continue across the Sierra Nevada Monday into early Tuesday. Some areas could see another 12 to 36 inches on top of 5-plus feet that accumulated last week. According to the NWS, a spot 10 miles southwest of Devils Postpile, California, received 10.5 feet of snow from 4 pm. PT Thursday to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Gusts ranging from 50 to 100 mph will create additional periods of blizzard and whiteout conditions, with road closures likely along the Interstate 80 corridor, as well as U.S. Highways 50, 95 and 395.
Major lane of concern
• Interstate 80 from Auburn, California, to Reno.
About 65 vehicles were involved in a Christmas Day chain-reaction crash during snowy conditions on Interstate 94 near Ashby, Minnesota, according to the state patrol.
The Saturday crash shut down the eastbound lanes at mile marker 77 in Grant County for more than two hours. Lanes reopened at about 2:30 p.m.
The crash happened shortly after 11 a.m. after two vehicles collided and were blocking the road. As a result, several other vehicles crashed behind them, according to the state patrol.
About 35 to 40 vehicles sustained damage and another 30 vehicles had no damage and the drivers were able to drive away. All injuries suffered by the occupants were non-life threatening.
Other notable weather this week
Truckers will also hit blizzard conditions through Monday evening in parts of the Dakotas to the northern Great Lakes. Winds will gust up to 45 mph with snow drifts reaching 5 feet high in some spots.
Snow from this system will spread to the interior Northeast, along with areas of sleet and freezing rain. Some roads will become icy in portions of Pennsylvania, upstate New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Major lanes of concern
• Interstate 94 from Bismarck, North Dakota, to Minneapolis-St. Paul.
• Interstate 29 from Watertown, South Dakota, to the U.S.-Canada border.
• Interstate 35 from Duluth, Minnesota, to Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Look for heavy rain and potential flash flooding Monday from Los Angeles to San Diego, and severe thunderstorms could rumble across the South Wednesday.
Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Nick Austin.
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