3 feet of snow falls on Sierra with thunderstorms

The weekend thunderstorms in the Mother Lode dumped 3½ feet of snow at Donner Summit, state officials announced Monday. The storm also resulted in 4.64 inches of rain, according to a reading at the Auburn Municipal Airport. The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snowlab in Soda Springs measured 42.5 inches of snowfall in three days at the location off Interstate 80 at Donner Pass Road. "Despite still having a below-average snowpack due to record warm temperatures that we've had all winter, this snow will help a lot," the Snowlab announced on social media this week. "We'll see it melt and run off into streams and reservoirs, re-moisten the soil and vegetation and will delay vegetation drying out, and help with fire season. Fingers crossed we see some more in the next few weeks." Meanwhile, most Tahoe region ski resorts already closed early due to a very dry March. Palisades Tahoe, Mt. Rose and Kirkwood ski resorts, however, remain open this week. Kirkwood Ski Area in Alpine County also reported 42 inches of snow with the weekend storms. Palisades Tahoe in Placer County between Truckee and Tahoe City reported 3½ feet at the summit and two feet at the Olympic Valley base. In Washoe County Nevada, Mount Rose Ski Tahoe accumulated 1½ feet of snow, the resort announced Monday. The ski bowl near Incline Village has the highest base elevation around Tahoe at 8,260 feet above sea level. Mt. Rose and Kirkwood appear to be open at least until this Sunday, April 19, according to posted schedules. Palisades Tahoe is shooting to stay open until late May. Mt. Rose is only open weekends. At an elevation of 6,984 feet near Truckee, the Cal Snowlab has been measuring Sierra snow since 1946.