The most recent winter storm dumped heavy snow on northern California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, creating avalanche conditions.
The Associated Press (AP) reports that an avalanche occurred causing a fatality and injury at the Lake Tahoe ski resort known as Palisades Tahoe formerly Squaw Valley. The AP writes:
An avalanche roared through a section of expert trails at a California ski resort near Lake Tahoe on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring another, as a major storm with snow and gusty winds moved into the region, authorities said.
The avalanche prompted Palisades Tahoe to close 30 minutes after it opened, and search crews combed the area to see if anyone was injured or trapped. Sgt. David Smith, a spokesperson for the Placer County sheriff, said hours later that one person, a male, died and another person sustained non-life-threatening injuries. He said nobody else was missing.
The National Weather Service says that a winter storm warning continues in effect that will provide heavy snow for much of the area through Thursday. It is likely that avalanche conditions will continue to worsen as new snowfall occurs.