A powerful blizzard that a meteorologist described as being 'as bad as it gets' howled in the Sierra Nevada mountains with wind gusts as strong as 190mph in the Lake Tahoe region, closing a long stretch of Interstate 80 and a 75-mile section of U.S. 395 in Northern California, forcing ski resorts to shut down, leaving thousands of homes without power.

More than 10 feet of snow was expected at higher elevations creating a 'life-threatening concern' for residents near Lake Tahoe and blocking travel on the key east-west freeway.

Blizzard conditions along I-80 saw hundreds trapped in their vehicles overnight, California Highway Patrol officers said with an estimated 200 to 300 vehicles stuck and unable to move. 

Vehicles including everything from passenger cars to big rigs remained snowed-in from 5pm on Friday until 2:30am on Saturday morning over Donner Summit.

Eventually, tow trucks managed to get everyone out with no injuries, nor any vehicles having to be abandoned.

Kyle Frankland, a veteran snow-plow driver, said several parts of his rig broke as he cleared wet snow underneath piles of powder.

'I've been in Truckee 44 years. This is a pretty good storm,' Frankland said. 'It's not record-breaking by any means, but it's a good storm.'