California storm brings first heavy snow to Sierra Nevada with 2-3 feet along summits
Snow is expected to fall through Wednesday, making travel through the region very difficult as winds upwards of 70 mph increase the potential for dangerous hazards.
Mountain snow arriving for Palisades Tahoe in Sierra
Palisades Tahoe ski resort in Olympic Valley, California, is readying for snow as severe storms blast California. Public Relations Manager Patrick Lacey joins FOX Weather to talk about how the resort is prepping for the snow and upcoming ski season.
TRUCKEE, Calif. — The first signs of winter weather arrived in the Sierra Nevada Mountains this week, as a strong storm system traveling south along the West Coast brought the first snowfall of the season, along with the season's first Winter Storm Warning issued by the National Weather Service.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, snow will pile up through Wednesday, with snowfall totals ranging from 2 to 3 feet or more at the region's highest peaks.
The snow stems from the same system of low pressure that has brought severe weather, flooding and evacuations in Southern California.
The intense snow is expected to make travel through the region very difficult, especially through mountain passes like Sonora and Tioga, with winds upwards of 70 mph increasing the potential for down tree branches and other dangerous hazards, especially along ridgelines.
California Highway Patrol Officers responded to a rollover crash near Donner Summit on Oct. 13, 2025. (CHP - Truckee / FOX Weather)
California Highway Patrol in Truckee responded to a car that veered off the road into the median brush area near Donner Summit on Monday.
On Facebook, California Highway Patrol-Truckee shared a photo of the wayward vehicle and warned travelers of the slick roads, and added, "Donner Summit wasted no time reminding everyone who runs the mountain."
The October snowfall is not an unusual event in the Sierra Nevada. Typically, an area like Manmouth Lake sees its first snowfall around Oct. 26, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
"This early-season snowfall is absolutely phenomenal for really just saturating the ground, making sure it gets saturated and freezes. That way, once the snow does come, the really heavy snowfall, that snow has time to stick on top," said Patrick Lacey, Public Relations Manager at Palisades Tahoe ski resort in Olympic Valley, California.