A winter storm warning is in effect for parts of northern and central California as snowy conditions continue to hit the state, potentially bringing over a foot of additional snow to a region that already saw accumulation this weekend.

The National Weather Service sent out the warning for some elevated mountain areas, including West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada and Western Plumas County/Lassen Park above 4500 feet, and the cities of Chester, Blue Canyon and Quincy.

The alert warns of additional snow accumulations of 12 to 18 inches above 4500 feet, with up to 2 feet at the highest peaks, as well as minor snowfall accumulations of 2 to 4 inches down to 4000 feet. Winds could also gust as high as 45 mph, NWS said.

The warning is set to last through 11 p.m. local time on April 12, with mountain travel highly discouraged as conditions remain slick on the roads, the Sacramento NWS office said.

‘First taste of Summer’? A big warmup in the forecast for part of US

The potential for additional snowfall comes a day after parts of the state saw multiple inches collect in higher elevations.

The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab, nestled in the Sierra Nevada at Donner Pass, reported early April 11 seeing nearly eight inches of snow in its area. With the snow described as wet and dense, the lab also predicted between 18 and 36 inches more accumulation over the night of April 11 and throughout April 12.

California weather updates: Thunderstorms expected to rattle Northern California this weekend

The NWS initially launched a winter storm watch alert for the Sierra Nevada mountain range area on April 10, advising of moderate to heavy snowfall over the weekend. The April forecast indicated that certain regions along the Sierra Nevada could receive up to 4 feet of snow and wind gusts as high as 45 mph, according to the NWS.

Northern California also braced for other severe weather this weekend, including potential thunderstorms, brief but heavy rain, erratic winds, hail up to “an inch in diameter,” and a small chance of “weak tornadoes,” USA TODAY previously reported. Other parts of the state saw thunderstorms, lightning, and floods, including in the Sacramento Valley.

Other parts of the United States are expecting a boost in warm weather this upcoming week, including parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, which could see temperatures hit the upper 80s from Tuesday, April 14, until Thursday, April 16.

Kate Perez covers national trends and breaking news for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kperez@usatodayco.com or on X @katecperez_.

In your recent editorial on the Colorado River talks, the Review-Journal is right that Nevada deserves fairness in these negotiations. Nevada uses the least water, leads in conservation and re-uses about 85 percent of what it draws.

So why is Nevada being positioned to give more? The Review-Journal makes the case against it, but stops short of addressing how years of prior negotiations have already set a precedent for Nevada to surrender portions of its legal entitlement. Southern Nevada Water Authority General Manager John Entsminger has advanced a plan that reportedly includes surrendering up to 50,000 acre-feet, nearly 17 percent of Nevada’s allocation, while upper basin states face no comparable requirement to improve recycling or reduce structural losses.

There is already plenty of “unfairness” to go around, particularly in how Southern Nevada residents have been expected to shoulder the burden (both financially and environmentally) in the name of “conservation.”

For years, water use reductions tied to Lake Mead levels have been driven in part by hydropower thresholds, while the public narrative has centered on the lake’s visible “bathtub ring” to justify restrictions. It is also worth noting that California benefits significantly from higher reservoir levels. Under the compact, water use within the system, not energy production, is the priority.

Now we are told the state will “fight like hell.” The question is: Why not fight for every drop of Nevada’s legal entitlement?

The editorial also does not address a critical fact: Colorado diverts a significant portion of its Colorado River water across the Continental Divide, sending much of it out of the system entirely. Nevada, meanwhile, returns most of what it uses.

Nevada has the smallest allocation, the highest efficiency, significant amounts of stored water and the infrastructure to access it. Yet its leadership appears to be negotiating as a mediator rather than defending those advantages. “Fighting like hell” for fairness means demanding accountability, not giving more away or allowing more to be taken.