.A STRONG STORM DROPPING OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL BRING UNSEASONABLY COLD WEATHER TO THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS COULD BE AS HIGH AS 20 INCHES OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY…WITH 6 TO 12 INCHES DOWN TO THE 7000 FOOT LEVEL. THE STORM IS FORECAST TO MOVE EAST OF THE REGION LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT…HOWEVER SNOW SHOWERS COULD LINGER INTO THURSDAY.
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
305 AM PDT TUE OCT 4 2011…WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM WEDNESDAY TO 5 AM PDT THURSDAY ABOVE 7000 FEET…
A WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 7000 FEET REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM
3 AM WEDNESDAY TO 5 AM PDT THURSDAY FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 6 TO 12 INCHES ABOVE 7000 FEET…AND 12 TO 20 INCHES IN THE HIGH COUNTRY.
* SNOW LEVEL: ABOVE 8000 FEET EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING LOWERING TO 6000 FEET DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY.
* TIMING: SNOW WILL BEGIN FALLING EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL FALL DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY.
* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST INCLUDING BIG MEADOWS AND BUCK ROCK AREAS. SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK…QUAKING ASPEN…PONDEROSA AND SHERMAN PASS.
* WINDS: WEST WINDS OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY WILL GUST TO 70 MPH CAUSING CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.
* IMPACTS: THIS IS A DANGEROUS EARLY SEASON STORM. HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS MAY CAUSE MOUNTAIN ROADS TO BECOME BLOCKED. (Weather.gov)
Motorists should also use caution entering the park as this is the first rainstorm of the season for much of California causing roads to be slick with oil and debris washing off the road surface.