Fast moving storm leaves up to 2 feet of snow in Sierra

Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005 | 1:49 a.m.

A fast moving storm swept over the Sierra and across northern Nevada the day after Christmas, leaving up to 2 feet of snow on ski resorts and prompting road controls for holiday travelers.

Sierra-at-Tahoe and Kirkwood both received 24 inches of snow, Alpine Meadows picked up 15 inches and Heavenly Valley reported a foot. In Nevada, 18 inches fell on Mount Rose.

While both Interstate 80 and U.S. 50 were open with no controls in California, chains or snow tires were required on Highway 50 from six miles west of Carson City to the California state line.

Most other roads in the Sierra also had driving controls on Monday with chains mandatory in spots on California 88 and 89.

Parts of northern Nevada received an inch or two of snow during the day with Ely reporting one-half mile visibility in an unusual thunder snow storm.

To the south, a cold front produced a high wind advisory for southern Nevada, including Las Vegas, for 30-40 mph winds gusting to 50 mph at times, producing reduced visibility in blowing dust.

High pressure was expected to rebuild on Tuesday, bringing a return of fair skies to the south.

While skies in the north cleared on Monday, the National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for the Sierra Tuesday through Wednesday afternoon for strong winds and rain with snow at the higher elevations.

The outlook called for a chance of rain or snow daily into the new year.