Mount Shasta, California – Drivers heading over Snowmans Summit or toward Mt. Shasta Ski Park could encounter chain controls and potential road closures beginning 10 p.m. Saturday as heavy snow and 55 mph wind gusts slam higher elevations.
According to the National Weather Service in Medford, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 10 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday for areas above 4,500 feet in Siskiyou County. Forecasters expect 6 to 12 inches of snow, with the heaviest totals near and above pass level.
Highway 89 at Snowmans Summit and Dead Horse Summit, along with the Mt. Shasta Ski Park Highway near 5,500 feet, are likely to see rapidly deteriorating travel conditions overnight Saturday into Sunday morning. Gusts up to 55 mph over exposed ridges could blow snow across roadways, sharply reducing visibility and increasing the risk of falling tree limbs.
Caltrans may implement chain requirements with little notice. Travelers should carry chains, an extra flashlight, food and water in case of delays. Check QuickMap or call 511 before departing for real-time road updates.
The warning expires at 4 p.m. Sunday, but slick and snow-covered roads may linger into Sunday evening as colder air settles in. Additional advisories could follow if snowfall rates intensify.
