HANFORD, Calif. -- It's late spring but much of the Sierra Nevada is under a winter weather advisory for elevations above 8,000 feet (2,438 meters).
The National Weather Service says snow accumulations Thursday through Friday in the central and eastern Sierra could amount to 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters), with locally higher amounts near ridgetops.
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Forecasters warn the late-season snowfall may catch some people off-guard.
The weather service is also tracking thunderstorms and has issued a flash flood watch for a large area on the eastern side of the range due to copious amounts of rain from the developing weather system.
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The weather service says heavy runoff and rapid snowmelt could cause streams and rivers to rise.
To the north, winds are expected to make conditions rough on Lake Tahoe.