RENO — Heavy snow and high winds have closed a 70-mile stretch of U.S. Interstate 80 in the Sierra from Colfax, California to the California-Nevada line just west of Reno.
A winter storm warning remains in effect until 4 a.m. Thursday for the Lake Tahoe area, where more than 4 feet of snow has fallen over the last two days.
The Mount Rose Highway connecting Reno to Lake Tahoe also was closed Wednesday.
The National Weather Service reported wind gusts up to 114 mph late Tuesday at the summit of Alpine Meadows ski resort north of Tahoe.
The service says another 8 to 16 inches of snow is forecast Wednesday night above 7,000 feet.
The Sierra Avalanche Center warns the threat of avalanches is high throughout the region.
