Fresno, California – Travel across California’s high Sierra has turned extremely dangerous as a powerful winter storm continues to dump feet of snow and unleash damaging winds, creating whiteout conditions and widespread closures through Friday night.
According to the National Weather Service in Hanford, a Winter Storm Warning remains in effect through Friday evening for the Upper San Joaquin River region, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Grant Grove, and the southern end of the Upper Sierra. Additional snowfall up to 5 feet is expected, with wind gusts reaching 55 mph. Visibility may drop below a quarter mile as blowing snow intensifies, making travel treacherous to impossible.
Farther north, Yosemite National Park outside of the valley, including Tuolumne Meadows and Wawona, remains under the same warning. Snow totals between 4 and 6 feet are expected, along with wind gusts near 60 mph. The combination of heavy snow loading and strong winds could down trees and power lines, leading to sporadic power outages and road closures across higher elevations.
Areas such as Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, Grant Grove, Lodgepole, Giant Forest, and Lake Wishon are likely to see prolonged impacts, with emergency officials warning against all non-essential travel. Whiteout conditions may persist for hours at a time, especially overnight and during heavier snow bands.
Drivers who must travel are urged to carry emergency supplies and check road conditions by calling 511 before departure. Additional closures and extended warnings remain possible as the storm slowly weakens late Friday night.
