Heavy snow fell in the Sierra Nevada as a winter storm packing powerful winds sent ski lift chairs swinging while downpours at lower elevations triggered flood watches on Sunday.
More than 250 miles of the Sierra from north of Reno south to Yosemite National Park remained under winter storm warnings either until late Sunday or early Monday.
Up to 48 inches of snow has fallen across large swathes of the area.
The National Weather Service used colorful language describing the storm as an atmospheric 'bowling ball' with large swaths of California expected to be affected.
As the storm leaves the western half of the U.S., it will push across the country and reach the Plains by mid-week, bringing significant rain and below-average temperatures, said Marc Chenard, meteorologist at the National Weather Service at the national center in College Park, Maryland.
Snow was piled high at the sides of the road of Interstate 80 from California to Nevada
Maintenance workers hard at work clearing snow from lanes in the middle of the night at the 6000 foot level of State Route 2 (Angeles Crest Highway) in Angeles National Forest
Heavy snow fell in the Sierra Nevada this weekend as a winter storm packed powerful winds
UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab recorded 43.5 inches of snow falling in just 48 hours
'It will be a busy week while this system moves across the country,' Chenard said Sunday with six to ten inches of snowfall also possible in the northeast.
The storm is forecast to 'develop into a possible blizzard' in coming days, the National Weather Service has warned with the system was forecast to sweep across the nation from Colorado to Minnesota bringing driving snow, high winds and freezing rain.
'Heavy snow will bring major impacts to many areas across the country,' the weather service warned. 'Travel could become impossible.'
Over the weekend the Heavenly ski resort at Lake Tahoe shut down some operations when the brunt of the storm hit on Saturday.
The resort posted video of lift chairs swaying violently because of gusts that topped 100 mph, along with a reminder tweeting that wind closures are 'always for your safety.'
To the south, Mammoth Mountain reported that more than 20 inches of snow fell Saturday, with another 2 feet possible as the tail end of the system moved through the eastern Sierra.
Traffic was urged to travel slowly along the Interstate which was coated in snow and ice
Crews continued to work around the clock to clear major highways in the Sierra Nevada
Maintenance workers are pictured hard at work clearing snow from lanes in the middle of the night
The California Highway Patrol are pictured monitoring conditions on the road with plows working hard
Heavy snow fell in the Sierra Nevada as a winter storm packing powerful winds sent ski lift chairs swinging. Pictured, Heavenly Ski resort which saw the chairs blowing in the wind
Storm total snowfall amounts for northeast California, the Greater Lake Tahoe Region, western Nevada and the Eastern Sierra Nevada
UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab posted some pictures depicting massive amounts of snow fall on the roofs of some of their buildings
A further three to six inches was forecast to fall on top of the 43.5 inches in California Sierra
One twitter user posted a video of snow falling off her roof in Soda Springs, California during Winter Storm Diaz
A truck lies beneath the thick white snow which came down in the California Sierra Nevada
One woman appeared to be trapped in their home as snow blocked their way out
The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab in Soda Springs, California reported Sunday morning that more than 43 inches had fallen in a 48-hour span.
A 70-mile stretch of eastbound U.S. Interstate 80 was closed Saturday 'due to zero visibility' from the northern California town of Colfax to the Nevada state line, transportation officials said. Snow chains were required on much of the rest of I-80 and other routes in the mountains from Reno toward Sacramento.
Many other key roads were closed because of heavy snow, including a stretch of California Highway 89 between Tahoe City and South Lake Tahoe, the highway patrol said.
The U.S. Forest Service issued an avalanche warning for the backcountry in the mountains west of Lake Tahoe where it said 'several feet of new snow and strong winds will result in dangerous avalanche conditions.'
Gusts up to 50 mph sent trees into homes in Sonoma County north of San Francisco on Saturday with predictions of violent gusts of 100 mph over Sierra ridgetops, the National Weather Service said.
This image from a Caltrans traffic camera shows snow conditions on California SR-89 Snowman in Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California on Saturday
This snowmobile had GPS with no visible indications of where a path may lie
Traffic conditions appeared to be worsening on I-80 west approaching the California State Agricultural Inspection in the early hours of Sunday morning
Donner Pass, a 7,056-foot-high mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevada appeared to have treacherous conditions well before this weekend's storm was near. Pictured on Thursday
Heavy rain was forecast from San Francisco to the Sierra crest with up to two inches in the Bay Area and up to five inches at Grass Valley northeast of Sacramento.
Warnings and watches were also up across Southern California, as heavy rain caused localized flooding in greater Los Angeles.
'Significant travel delays possible with accumulating snow on several mountain roads. This could include the Tejon Pass and Grapevine area of Interstate 5,' the National Weather Service's LA-area office said in a statement.
Forecasters in Arizona issued a winter storm watch for northern and central Arizona beginning on Sunday evening for areas above 5000 feet including Flagstaff, Prescott and the Grand Canyon, where icy temperatures and up to a foot of snow was predicted.
A winter storm is moving from the West to the Northern Plains, then into the Northeast, powered by a southerly shift in the jet strem
Many of the wests ski resorts were deluged by snow with 47 inches recorded in the Sierra Nevada
LTuesday into Wednesday snow may spread into parts of Wisconsin and northern Michigan
This heavy snow will be accompanied by strong winds in the Plains. Some power outages may occur due to the force of high winds and the weight of heavy snow driven by the wind
The Dakotas and southeastern Montana will likely receive at least a foot of snow
Snow is possible in Northeast later in week, but the forecast is still uncertain
One Twitter user in California's Sierra Nevada took a photo that showed several feet of snow
Even a snowmobile appeared to be having difficulty getting around in the near white out conditions
Snow in the Sierra Mountains, California showed snow resting on power lines
Snowmobiles appeared to sink into the freshly fallen snow high up in the Sierra Nevadas
Prepare for Snowmageddon! Winter storm is expected to hit the Northeast Monday with forecasters warning upstate New Yorkers to brace for between six and TEN inches of the white stuff
By Vanessa Serna
Some states in the Northeast are expected to see their first snowfall of the season with some areas getting a snow blanket of up to 10 inches through Monday.
Northeastern Pennsylvania, upstate New York, northwest Connecticut, northwest New Jersey, New England, and western Massachusetts have all received Winter Weather Advisories as residents can expect large amounts of snowfall.
While the snow might stick more in the suburban areas of the states, northern New York City might also see a sheet of snow as well as the mid-Hudson Valley.
Up to 10 inches of snow might also be seen at high elevations, but the Catskills of New York and the western Massachusetts Berkshires can see up to six inches, according to Fox Weather.
Snow is expected to hit the Northeast with higher elevations anticipating up to 10 inches
Winter Weather Advisories have been sent out to areas, including Northeastern Pennsylvania, upstate New York and northwest Connecticut
On Monday, residents and commuters can expect one to three inches of snow in New York, northern New Jersey, New England, and northern Pennsylvania.
The conditions can lead to slippery roads, especially if the snowfall makes its way into cities.
Rain might also turn into snow on Sunday evening on the I-95 - just north of The Big Apple.
As of Sunday evening, light snow is predicted in New York City around 10pm local time until 1am leading into Monday.
If snow hits The Big Apple, it'll be the first time the city has seen snow since March 27.
Snow in Monsey, New York was seen for the first time this winter as some areas in the state are expected to see up to three inches.
Footage of the snowfall captured cars, house roofs and grass covered with a light layer of snow.
🇺🇸❄️ — VIDEO: First snowfall of the winter in Monsey, New York today.
Upto 3 inches of snow is expected into Monday across much of the interior Northeast, including New York state, northern New Jersey and northern Pennsylvania pic.twitter.com/7eX23ZVmKn
Snow in Monsey, New York was seen for the first time this winter on Sunday
As of Sunday evening, light snow is predicted in The Big Apple around 10pm local time until 1am leading into Monday
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