At least three people were injured in a 20-car crash in western Nevada, about 200 miles east of Sacramento, the Washoe County Sheriff's Office reported.
The incident occurred on Southbound Washoe Valley Highway 395.
Traffic will be diverted to Old US 395 at Bowers Mansion.
The injured were taken to hospital, authorities said, but their health conditions were not disclosed.
Authorities are calling for drivers to stay home because many roads are slippery and have poor visibility.Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue
In addition,
harsh weather conditions
are reported
with winds of up to 50 miles per hour.
Since Christmas night, a storm has started causing several inches of snow to fall.
Interstate 80 and US 50 remain closed.
The California Department of Transportation announced that I-80 will be closed all day Sunday and its status will be re-evaluated on Monday.
The country's Midwest is at risk of severe weather level 4, for the first time in history
Dec. 15, 202102: 20
Driving on the roads is recommended using snow chains or tires, although several public safety agencies in Nevada and California
urge drivers to stay indoors because many roads are slippery
and have little visibility.
The National Weather Service is warning drivers that major delays are highly likely on all highways.
Heavy snowfall is also anticipated in the central Sierra Nevada mountains, where it is expected to accumulate up to 10 feet.
California's first winter storm in 2021 hits the state from north to south
Dec. 14, 202101: 45
Most residents of that area expect five to eight feet of snow to hit.
Authorities are asking residents to avoid travel for the next several days due to
potentially dangerous
driving
conditions
.
"A series of storms in the Pacific will bring periods of heavy rain in lowlands and heavy snowfall in the mountains of the western United States over Christmas weekend," the National Weather Service said last Wednesday.
With information from
Kolo 8
,
Elko Daily
and the National Weather Service.