(KTXL) — A powerful winter storm is hitting California and other western states, impacting major roadways, causing school closures and dumping at times several inches of snow per hour in some areas.

In California, the storm has led to a rare blizzard warning being issued in the northern half of the Sierra Nevada, and state officials are pleading with residents to avoid traveling over the mountainous region during the storm.

In the interior of the state, strong winds and thunderstorms have the potential to cause power outages.

The storm comes on the heels of an earlier storm in the final days of February and nearly two months after the state was battered by back-to-back atmospheric rivers, leaving California soaked as it deals with ongoing —and now seemingly improving— drought conditions.

The National Weather Service advised that the brunt of the current storm will be Monday and Tuesday.

Below are the latest updates on the storm in Northern California.

Live Updates: California winter storm

Thursday

7:24 a.m.

Interstate 80 is open to passenger vehicles in both directions without chain controls, according to Caltrans.

Wednesday

4:15 p.m.

Eastbound I-80 has been opened to passenger vehicles, however, big rigs are still restricted according to Caltrans.

Caltrans said that westbound I-80 is still closed at the state line.

12:35 p.m.

Eastbound I-80 has been opened to local traffic with proof of residents. Along with essential vehicles like food, fuel and mail trucks, according to Auburn CHP.

10:54 a.m.

As the snow stops falling in the Sierra, Caltrans District 3 shared that Interstate 80 may open in the afternoon.

8:50 a.m.

The National Weather Service shared the snow totals between 6 a.m. on Sunday and 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

– Sierra Snow Lab: 87.2″
– Sugar Bowl: 62″
– Palisades Tahoe: 92″
– Kirkwood: 67″
– Sierra at Tahoe: 63″
– Soda Springs: 83″
– Kingvale: 68″
– Quincy: 22″
– Shingletown: 20″
– Chester: 30″
– Sonora: 10″
– Grass Valley: 26.3″

6:06 a.m.

Interstate 80 remains closed for eastbound traffic at Applegate and for westbound traffic at the Nevada State line, according to CHP Truckee.

Tuesday

10:30 p.m.

Caltrans said Highway 50 was reopened, but there are chain controls active. Interstate 80 is not expected to open until sometime Wednesday.

2:30 p.m.

A freeze warning has been issued in the Sacramento Valley from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Wednesday and 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Thursday.

Early Wednesday morning the temperature is expected to drop to 31 degrees while Thursday morning the temperature is expected to drop to 30 degrees.

12:44 p.m.

US-50 has been closed at Echo Summit due to avalanche control, heavy snow and several spin-outs.

9:44 a.m.

The National Weather Service released the 48-hour snowfall totals in the Sierra Nevada as of 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

– Sierra Snow Lab: 52.2″
– Sugar Bowl: 36″
– Palisades Tahoe: 54″
– Kirkwood: 43″
– Sierra at Tahoe: 39″
– Soda Springs: 41″
– Kingvale: 36″
– Quincy: 16″
– Lower Lassen: 19.4″
– Volcano: 10.4″
– Sonora: 4″
– Grass Valley: 13.5″

8 a.m.

While I-80 remains closed big rigs carrying food are being deemed essential and are allowed to travel through the closure as long as they have the proper equipment, according to Auburn CHP.

7 a.m.

The NWS said that blizzard conditions are still being reported in the Sierra. Mountain travel is highly discouraged.

6:24 a.m.

Interstate 80 remains closed eastbound at Applegate and westbound at the Nevada State line, according to CHP Truckee.

Monday

10:16 p.m.
Caltrans said Interstate 80 will not reopen Monday night, and that there will be an update on Tuesday morning. The agency also said crews are continuing to work on Highway 50, but weather conditions are making the work difficult.

9:58 p.m.

Caltrans said there is still no estimated time of reopening, but that avalanche control work has been completed over Echo Summit. Crews still need to clear enough space on the highway for drivers to be able to travel safely.

8 pm: The city of Stockton will be opening an overnight warming center due to the storm happening Tuesday until Thursday.

According to the city of Stockton, the warming centers are the Stribley Community Center and Arnold Rue Community Center, located at 1760 East Sonora Street.

The check-in period begins at 8 p.m. and check-out is at 7 a.m.

5:30 pm: Highway 50 is closed eastbound at Pollock Pines and closed westbound at Meyers due to avalanche control and spinouts, according to Caltrans.

4:30 pm: Eastbound traffic near Kyburz on Highway 50 is currently being held due to spinouts, according to Caltrans.

4:15 pm: The storm brought a rare blizzard warning to the Sierra Nevada and heavy snow to most of the ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe area. 

Here’s how much snow those resorts received in the last day.

11 am: Interstate 80 is closed in both directions over the Sierra Nevada due to whiteout conditions, with the closure in place between Applegate, 10 miles east of Auburn, and the Nevada state line, according to Caltrans.

9 am: The National Weather Service said strong thunderstorms are possible Monday evening and again on Tuesday across a wide swath of Central and Northern California.

The thunderstorms are more likely to occur from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and can cause hail or graupel, funnel clouds or brief tornadoes, lightning, heavy rain and gusty winds.

8 am: School districts across the Sierra Nevada and the foothills have delayed or canceled classes because of the storm.