Mt. Shasta, the fifth tallest mountain in California, stands at 14,179 feet. This photo was taken in November 2023.

With a bomb cyclone targeting Northern California this week, forecasters are warning of "multiple feet of new snow" and the potential for "large, destructive avalanches" on Mount Shasta, the state’s fifth-highest peak. The Mount Shasta Avalanche Center cautioned in a Tuesday notice that these avalanches could surge beyond mountain slopes, barreling into flat terrain, valley floors and even mature forests.

“Ready or not, winter has arrived!” Avalanche Center forecasters warned. “Over the next 24-48 hours, the Mount Shasta area is in the crosshairs of a large atmospheric river, bringing severe rain, and multiple feet of new snow.” The snowpack, currently at 10 inches, is expected to rapidly grow to several feet in mere hours, according to the advisory, which........

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