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Major interstate closed as dangerous winter storm pummels the Sierra Nevada

Published

2 years ago

March 2, 2024

Major interstate closed as dangerous winter storm pummels the Sierra Nevada

Vehicles drive on Interstate 80 as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada during a powerful winter storm on Friday in Truckee, Calif.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

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Mario Tama/Getty Images

Vehicles drive on Interstate 80 as snow falls north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada during a powerful winter storm on Friday in Truckee, Calif.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

A dangerous blizzard expected to bring up to 10 feet of snow to parts of the Sierra Nevada has forced the closure of Yosemite National Park, at least nine Lake Tahoe ski resorts and a major interstate and disrupted power to thousands.

The California Highway Patrol said it shut down a more-than-50-mile stretch of Interstate 80 at 5 p.m. PT on Friday from the California-Nevada state line west of Reno to a small California reservoir northeast of Sacramento.

“AAANNNDD WE’RE CLOSED!! I-80 westbound traffic is being turned at the Nevada State line and eastbound I-80 traffic is being turned around at Drum Forebay due to spin outs, high winds, and low visibility,” the CHP posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The CHP gave no estimated time to reopen I-80.

The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Reno, Nev., advised against travel, but urged people who must drive to pack an emergency kit in case they are stranded for extended periods.

“Sierra travel will be treacherous through the weekend with life-threatening blizzard conditions through Saturday morning,” according to the NWS.

The agency said Friday that snow rates could hit 4-6 inches per hour through Saturday morning.

More than than 50,000 customers were without power in California and Nevada as of Saturday morning, according to Poweroutage.us.

The NWS issued a blizzard warning covering a 300-mile stretch from north of Lake Tahoe to south of Yosemite National Park, saying the storm is expected to bring “a long duration of high intensity snow and strong winds … with periods of whiteout conditions and near-zero visibility.”

Areas under the blizzard warning include:

California’s Lassen, eastern Plumas and eastern Sierra counties through 4 a.m. Sunday
the Greater Lake Tahoe area through 10 a.m. Sunday
Mono County through 10 a.m. Sunday

The storm system, which began to pummel the region on Thursday, brought wind gusts of up to 150 mph at the highest peaks of the Sierra. The NWS issued a high-wind warning for West Central Nevada, with gusty winds of up to 75 mph through 7 a.m. on Saturday.

The Reno forecast office also issued a backcountry avalanche warning through 5 p.m. on Sunday for the Central Sierra slopes, and advised against travel there.

Yosemite visitors are told to leave as storm expected to drop up to 10 feet of snow

“Avalanches may run long distances and can run into mature forests, valley floors and flat terrain,” according the NWS.

Yosemite National Park, which is under the blizzard warning, will remain closed through Sunday.

KUNR reporter Sophia Holm reported snowplows were running up and down streets regularly in Reno, Nev.

In between shoveling, we asked folks from hot spots about their first time seeing snow

Chris Slowinski and his wife Cathy Ludwig told Holm that they’re experiencing their second winter in Tahoe, and have stocked up on food and equipment.

“We’ve got a generator, so we’re set,” Slowinski said. “I mean, it’s kind of nice having nowhere to go, and we really can’t go anywhere.”

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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Satellite images provide view inside Iran at war

Published

8 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Satellite images provide view inside Iran at war

Smoke rises over Konarak naval base in southern Iran on Sunday. The base was one of hundreds of targets of U.S. and Israeli forces throughout the country.

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Commercial satellite images are providing a unique look at the extent of damage being done to Iran’s military facilities across the country.

The U.S. and Israeli military campaign opened with a daytime attack that struck Iranian leadership in central Tehran. Smoke was still visible rising from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s compound following the attack that killed the supreme leader.

An image by the company Airbus taken on Saturday shows the aftermath of an Israeli strike on Iran’s Leadership House in central Tehran. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening wave of attacks.

Pléiades Neo (c) Airbus DS 2026

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Pléiades Neo (c) Airbus DS 2026

Israel and the U.S. have gone on to strike targets across the country. Reports on social media indicate that there have been numerous military bases and compounds attacked all over Iran, and Iran has responded with attacks throughout the Middle East.

U.S. forces have also been striking at Iran’s navy. In a post on his social media platform, President Trump said that he had been briefed that U.S. forces had sunk nine Iranian naval vessels. U.S. Central Command did not immediately confirm that number but it did say it had struck an Iranian warship in port.

An image captured on February 28 shows a ship burning at Iran's naval base at Konarak.

An image captured on Saturday shows a ship burning at Iran’s naval base at Konarak.

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Numerous satellite images show burning vessels at Konarak naval base in southern Iran. Images also show damage to a nearby airbase where hardened hangers were struck by precision munitions.

Hardened aircraft shelters at Konarak airbase were struck with precision munitions.

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And there was extensive damage at a drone base in the same area. Iran has launched numerous drones and missiles toward Israel and U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Many drones have been intercepted but videos on social media show that some have evaded air defenses and caused damage in nearby Gulf countries. In Dubai, debris from an Iranian drone damaged the iconic Burj Al Arab, according to a statement from Dubai’s government.

Buildings at an Iranian drone base at Konarak were destroyed in the strikes.

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Iran’s most powerful weapons are its long-range missiles. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have hidden the missiles deep inside mountain tunnels. Images taken Sunday in the mountains of northern Iran indicate that some of those tunnels were hit in a wave of strikes.

Following Khamenei’s death, Iran declared 40 days of mourning. Satellite images showed mourners gathering in Tehran’s Enghelab square on Sunday.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told NPR on Sunday that Iran will continue to fight “foreign aggression, foreign domination.”

A White House official told NPR that Trump plans to talk to Iran’s interim leadership “eventually,” but that for now, U.S. operations continue in the region “unabated.”

A large crowd of mourners fill Enghelab Square in Tehran on Sunday, following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

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Video: What the Texas Primary Battle Means for the Midterms

Published

17 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Video: What the Texas Primary Battle Means for the Midterms

new video loaded: What the Texas Primary Battle Means for the Midterms

The first battle of the midterm elections will be the U.S. Senate primary in Texas. Our Texas bureau chief, David Goodman, explains why Democrats and Republicans across the U.S. are watching closely to see what happens in the state.

By J. David Goodman, Alexandra Ostasiewicz, June Kim and Luke Piotrowski

March 1, 2026

News

Mass shooting at Austin, Texas bar leaves at least 3 dead, 14 wounded, authorities say

Published

20 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Mass shooting at Austin, Texas bar leaves at least 3 dead, 14 wounded, authorities say

Gunfire rang out at a bar in Austin, Texas, early Sunday and at least three people were killed, the city’s police chief said.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis told reporters the shooter was killed by officers at the scene.

Fourteen others were hospitalized and three were in critical condition, Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said.

“We received a call at 1:39 a.m. and within 57 seconds, the first paramedics and officers were on scene actively treating the patients,” Luckritz said.

There was no initial word on the shooter’s identity or motive.

An Austin police officer guards the scene on West 6th Street at West Avenue after a shooting on Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Austin, Texas.

Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP

Davis noted how fortunate it was that there was a heavy police presence in Austin’s entertainment district at the time, enabling officers to respond quickly as bars were closing.

“Officers immediately transitioned … and were faced with the individual with a gun,” Davis said. “Three of our officers returned fire, killing the suspect.”

She called the shooting a “tragic, tragic” incident.