LAKE COUNTY >> The weather flirted with freezing temperatures this morning as Lake County received between 0.3 and one inch of precipitation since the rains began Sunday.
The rains were part of greater system that covered most of Northern California, which brought snow in elevations above 3,000 feet and dripping skies throughout the region for a second consecutive weekend., National Weather Service forecaster Brooke Bingaman said.
As rain drenched the drought-stricken area on Monday, skiers and snowboarders also had reason to rejoice: The early snowstorm in the Sierra — and the cold nights — have hopes soaring for an infinitely better ski season, a relief after years of bitter disappointment.
“Exuberance would be far short of what people are feeling in this industry,” said Bob Spees, general manager of the Lake Tahoe-area outfitter Powder House who said last winter was the worst skiing he had seen in four decades.
As of Monday afternoon, chains were required on Highway 32, four miles above Forest Ranch, and Highway 36 over Morgan Summit east of Mineral. The main highway through Lassen Volcanic National Park was closed.
Chains were also required on Highway 50, and semi-trucks were being check to make sure they had chains on hand before they were permitted over Donner Summit on Interstate 80.
By the time the storm passes Tuesday, it is expected to bring up to 8 inches of snow around the lake and more than a foot at some high-elevation peaks — not a major snowfall but enough for Heavenly and Northstar ski resorts to announce they would open Saturday, six days early, and to post celebratory photos of snowcat vehicles taming piles of snow.
Cold temperatures are just one of many challenges Lake County faces as it attempts to recover, but officials said every victim has been offered shelter. The only ones who haven’t taken it are the campers in Hidden Valley Lake. Despite the chance to be housed at Konocti Harbor Resort, they choose to live in tents.
“We are very concerned for them,” Lake County Emergency Services Manager Carol Huchingson said. “We’ve offered them warm, dry rooms, but they don’t want to go.”
With most of the victims now in transitional housing, Huchingson said, the county can focus on flood preparedness and warning systems with the NWS, which also released a flash flood watch on Sunday.
Due to the unpredictable watershed in the burn area, the county, NWS, Public Works, and other organizations are concerned about the potential El Nino season ahead. They remain vigilant for approaching danger and other threats created by runoff, such as landslides and floodwaters filled with debris.
Yet conditions near Cobb Mountain and Middletown remained steady as Lake County’s Department of Public Works didn’t report of any hazardous incidents. Events of flooding and runoff weren’t reported either.
Bingaman said the heavy rains missed the Cobb Mountain area—it only received three quarters of an inch of rain—but the NWS kept a close eye on it until early this morning.
The frost advisory was expected to last until 9 a.m. today.
Katy Murphy and Rick Hurd of Bay Area News Group contributed to this report.
