Blizzard warning: Caltrans asks skiers, snowboarders to stay home ahead of massive Sierra snowstorm

SAN FRANCISCO -- Skiers and snowboarders were retired successful afloat unit Wednesday up of a monolithic snowstorm expected to deed the Sierra, and Caltrans has a connection for anyone other wanting to get up there.

"I would accidental spell contiguous due to the fact that it's agleam and sunny close now," said John O'Connell, Caltrans District 3 Public Information Officer.

RELATED: Massive snowfall up to 12 feet could autumn successful Sierra with large wintertime tempest this weekend, NWS says

Up to 12 feet of snowfall is expected to dump connected the portion implicit the people of a fewer days, starting Thursday morning.

"My sentiment is don't spell skiing oregon snowboarding this weekend, conscionable hold your travel if it's not necessary. Don't adjacent effort to bash it," said O'Connell, noting if it is necessary, to see the timing. "Sunday mightiness beryllium a amended day, but adjacent then, the road's inactive going to beryllium benignant of betterment mode astatine that point."

"All indications are it's going to travel and it's going to beryllium a large one," said retired ABC7 News lensman Randy Davis, who lives successful the portion and was fitting successful a time of skiing with his son.

"I'm sitting present astatine mid-mountain astatine Palisades Ski Resort and I'm enjoying the prima and he's enjoying the skiing," said Davis, adding he's afloat alert his lad could get stranded. "Since my lad lives successful the Bay Area and helium drove up this greeting and we're hoping for the champion for him."

Davis was deed hard by past year's storms and said he's acceptable to hunker down again this year.

"Put state successful your snowfall blower and anticipation for the best," helium said. "We enactment a generator successful past twelvemonth and we've got it each hooked up. You know, immoderate radical suffer powerfulness 4 oregon 5 days and if that happens, you bash the champion you can."

As for what the snowstorm could beryllium for skiers, Kevin Cooper with the California Mountain Resort Company said, it's apt bully news.

"The stoke level's going to beryllium a thirteen for sure," said Cooper. "We're going to spot capable snowfall successful the adjacent 24, 48, 72 hours to bring america mode supra 100 percent successful snowfall for the play and each these resorts to truly look astatine extending the season."

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