‘As bad as it gets’: powerful blizzard hits California, closing roads and ski resorts

Storm pummels Sierra Nevada, closing I-80 and leaving thousands without power as second storm forecast to bring more snow

A powerful blizzard that a meteorologist termed “as bad as it gets” howled in the Sierra Nevada mountains, closing a long stretch of Interstate 80 in northern California, forcing ski resorts to shut down, and leaving thousands of homes without power.

More than 10ft (3 meters) of snow was expected at higher elevations, National Weather Service meteorologist William Churchill said Saturday, creating a “life-threatening concern” for residents near Lake Tahoe and blocking travel on the key east-west freeway.