California blizzard: 100mph 'life-threatening' storm dumps 10ft snow on Sierra Nevada

Blizzard warnings were issued through Sunday (March 3) for several regions, including the greater Lake Tahoe area, which in the winter is a magnet for ski tourism. The NWS forecast that life-threatening whiteout conditions could persist through the weekend in the area. The NWS said on Thursday (February 29) that strong winds had already produced damage around the Lake Tahoe area, and that even stronger winds with gusts up to 80 mph were expected on Friday. The cold fronts could bring heavy rains at lower elevations in the foothills of the Sierras and across northwestern California, a state that has been soaked by heavy rains this winter. The storm will also produce heavy snowfall in the Cascade Range mountains in Oregon and Washington, and deeper into the northern Rocky Mountains in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, the NWS said. Read more: The Sun delivers breaking news, latest gossip and incredible exclusives around the world with hubs in