Two weeks before Memorial Day: Snow, rain and chain requirements

A mid-May storm swept into the Sierra and northern Nevada with March-like snow, rain and traffic snarls.

Westbound Interstate 80 was closed shortly after daybreak because of a rash of accidents near Truckee, Calif., where 6 inches of snow fell overnight.

Chains or snow tires were required elsewhere in the Sierra a dozen days before Memorial Day. Schools opened an hour late at Incline Village, where 4 inches of snow covered the ground.

Snow also coated the ground in western Nevada, where an inch or so accumulated between Carson City and Minden in an early morning snow squall.

As the storm moved in on Tuesday, hail pummeled the Minden-Gardnerville area. Snow helped trigger a multi-car accident near Heavenly Valley in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. Nobody was going fast enough for any serious injuries.

To the east, a flood advisory remained in effect along the Marys River north of Deeth in Elko County where heavy rain has pushed levels close to the banks. Local flooding was expected in low-lying areas for the next few days.

Runoff from a series of storms undermined U.S. 50 east of Austin, shutting down the highway between Austin and Bob Scott summits for the next few days while repairs are made.

The unsettled weather was expected to continue into the weekend, with a chance of showers each day and with the snow level dipping to the western foothills or valley floors at night and rising to lake level during the day.

archive