This summer has brought multiple heat waves to much of the nation, but on Saturday, California experienced a rare occurrence of snow in the mountains near Lake Tahoe. The snowfall was described as light, measuring from 0.15 inches to 0.03 inches in different areas. Despite being unlikely to stick, the snow provided a picturesque winter scene in a country suffering from excessive heat.
The Sierra Nevada Mountains saw rain in the morning, causing wet roads and a vehicle collision on Interstate 80. Meanwhile, the annual Burning Man festival faced weather issues for the second year in a row, prompting the temporary closure of the event’s main gate due to severe conditions. The Palisades Tahoe snow resort also experienced falling snow, a rarity for August.
The National Weather Service explained that a winter-like cold front brought the unexpected snow and lower temperatures, with warnings of a potential “hard freeze” and frost advisory in effect for certain areas. The contrast between the snow in California and the intense heat waves in other parts of the country, such as Kansas and Texas, was evident. Record-breaking high temperatures were reported in these regions, with heat alerts issued for millions of people.
Despite the continued heat in parts of the Midwest, relief was expected as a low-pressure system was forecasted to push out the heat wave by Monday. Overall, the late-summer snowstorm in California provided a brief but striking break from the brutal summer conditions experienced across the nation.
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