Late-season storm hits Sierra

RENO -- Winter lingered in the Sierra on Sunday as a storm left up to 18 inches of snow and delayed mountain motorists.

"Looking out the window, it seems more like Christmastime. It's definitely a winter wonderland," said Juanita Holley, spokeswoman for the California Department of Transportation's Kingvale station along Interstate 80 near Donner Summit.

The potent storm came too late for most Lake Tahoe ski resorts after a disheartening ski season that saw less than half the usual snowfall.

Chains were mandatory at various times on all three major highways linking Sacramento, Calif., to the Reno-Tahoe area: I-80 over Donner Summit, U.S. Highway 50 over Echo Summit and Highway 88 over Carson Pass.

I-80's westbound lanes over Donner Summit were shut down temporarily Sunday afternoon after slick road conditions caused vehicles to spin out of control, Holley said.