California Braces for Major Snow and Rain

California is about to experience a significant weather shift. After a long period of dry and warm days, the state is now expecting a week of heavy rain and snow. The Sierra Nevada mountains are expected to receive a massive amount of snow. Forecasters predict that between 4 to 8 feet of snow could accumulate by Wednesday. The heaviest snowfall is expected to happen from Monday evening through Tuesday. This snowfall could cause major travel disruptions. Mountain passes, including Donner Pass on Interstate 80, may close temporarily. The National Weather Service advises against traveling in the mountains during this time. While the snow and rain will cause hazards, they will also help with California's water needs. The state's snowpack has been below average due to the recent dry and warm weather. This week's precipitation will help make up for the lack of snow and rain in the past few weeks.Further inland, the Rockies are also in need of moisture. Before this week, the snowpack in Colorado and Utah was near record-low levels. This is a critical area for the Colorado River basin, which serves approximately 40 million people. In addition to the snow and rain, severe thunderstorms are expected on Monday. These storms could produce damaging wind gusts, frequent lightning, downpours, and even an isolated tornado. The risk zone includes densely populated areas from San Luis Obispo County south through San Diego County, with additional tornado potential around the Sacramento Valley. Flash flooding from heavy rain is also a possibility, especially in urban areas and near burn scars. AccuWeather predicts that cumulative rainfall totals of 1-2 inches are expected in places like San Diego and the Central Valley, increasing to 2 to 4 inches near the Los Angeles Basin and into Northern California.