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Whiteout Conditions Snarl Sierra Travel Ahead Of Even Bigger Storm

NYACK (CBS13) — Heavy snow blew through the Sierra Sunday night ahead of what forecasters say will be the strongest storm of the season this week.

Communities as low as 2,000 feet could see several inches of snow.

Ice and snow quickly turned a drive on I-80 into a dangerous journey Sunday afternoon. Snowplows worked quickly to clear the highway. Road crews were on scene to guide people to a safe location to put on chains.

"We knew it was going to snow but we didn't know it was going to be this bad," said Pangoua Vang.

The National Weather Service said the strongest storm of the season is headed this way Tuesday and will last through the week.

"This is the first of it so it's probably not the worst of it. It's just going to get worse," said Justin Blanchard, a local first responder.

Amid the dangerous driving conditions, families sought out some fun. The fresh, powdery snow was perfect for sledding, but many didn't expect the snow to fall this hard.

"I'd seen the rain and I was like, 'Oh, it's raining a little bit but watch out for black ice.' Then all of a sudden it was snowing," said Daidria Domino.

First responders asked people to drive slow and make sure that chains were put on before the snow got too heavy.

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