Jeremy Renner in ‘critical but stable condition’ following ‘weather related accident plowing snow’

Jeremy Renner is in ‘critical but stable condition’ after being injured while out clearing snow in his industrial-sized snow plow at his mountain ranch home in the Sierra Nevada’s which straddle the California/Nevada border.

The 51-year-old actor, a two-time Academy Award nominee, was airlifted to the hospital on Sunday afternoon and is said to be in ‘critical but stable condition’.

The accident came after almost 5 feet of snow fell overnight between New Years Eve and New Years Day as a massive winter storm once again pummeled the region.

His spokesperson attempted to play down Renner’s injuries simply describing it as a  ‘weather-related accident while plowing snow.’

Renner’s home is in a secluded area and regularly deals with massive amount of snowfall which often leave vehicles on the properly and even first floor windows to his home encased in snow.

Renner, who is a lover of big machines and heavy machinery owns a host of different sizes snow plows. It sees him regularly posting pictures and videos of himself enjoying the outdoors on the property where he can often be seen plowing his long private driveway and nearby paths.

According to the actor’s spokesperson, The Mayor of Kingstown star was ‘receiving excellent care’ and his family is with him.

The actor, who plays Hawkeye and can be seen in The Avengers and Captain America films, has owned a home in above Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe in Washoe County for several years.

In a video posted to his Instagram account last December, the actor could be seen enjoying driving his industrial-sized snow thrower.

‘I have so much respect for Mother Earth, and Mother Nature … I expect to lose the fight but I’ll always give it my best shot,’ he wrote.

Several other pictures and videos posted to social media show him enjoying driving heavy machinery with everything from plows on caterpillar tracks to massive snow plows and other winter weather buggies.

In the past Renner has also openly told of how he often spends time working with local fire departments, helping their teams, and has even bought a spare fire engine.

‘I work with the fire departments up there and they are pretty awesome. They are teaching me and helping me, and I still have to get some more hours in with them.’

Fans took to Twitter to wish for Renner a speedy recovery.

‘I hope he pulls through. That’s horrifying,’ one person tweeted.

‘Praying for Jeremy Renner,’ said another.

‘Sending up prayers for his swift recovery’ wrote another well-wisher.

A powerful storm has brought heavy rain and snowfall to much of California, causing traffic jams and closing major roads as the state prepared to usher in a new year.

In the high Sierra Nevada, where Renner’s home is located about 2ft of snow fell into New Year’s Day but as much as 5ft was predicted.

The Sacramento agency released a map of 24-hour precipitation showing a wide range of totals in the region, from less than an inch in some areas to more than 5in in the Sierra foothills.

The US National Weather Service in Sacramento had warned about hazardous driving conditions and posted photos on Twitter showing traffic on snow-covered mountain passes, where vehicles are required to have chains or four-wheel drive.

A so-called atmospheric river storm was pulling in a long and wide plume of moisture from the Pacific Ocean.

 Near Lake Tahoe, dozens of drivers were rescued on New Year’s Eve along Interstate 80 after cars spun out in the snow during the blizzard, the California Department of Transportation said. The key route to the mountains from the San Francisco Bay Area reopened early Sunday to passenger vehicles with chains.

‘The roads are extremely slick so let´s all work together and slow down so we can keep I-80 open,’ the California Highway Patrol said on Twitter. Several other highways, including State Route 50, also reopened.

More than 4ft of snow had accumulated in the high Sierra Nevada, and the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area said heavy, wet snow would cause major delays in chairlift openings. On Saturday, the resort reported numerous lift closings, citing high winds, low visibility and ice.

Flooding and rock slides also closed portions of roads across Northern California.

It was the first of several storms expected to roll across California over the next week.

Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Sacramento, said the current system is expected to be warmer and wetter, while next week’s storms will be colder.

Renner is a two-time acting Oscar nominee, scoring back-to-back nods for The Hurt Locker and The Town.

Renner’s portrayal of a bomb disposal specialist in Iraq in 2008’s The Hurt Locker helped turn him into a household name.

The Avengers in 2012 cemented him as part of Marvel’s grand storytelling ambitions, with his character appearing in several sequels and getting its own Disney+ series, Hawkeye.