South Lake Tahoe, California – Feet of snow and damaging Sierra winds will slam the Lake Tahoe Basin starting late Sunday night, with whiteout conditions and road closures possible through Wednesday evening.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 10 p.m. Sunday until 10 p.m. Wednesday for the Greater Lake Tahoe Area, including South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Tahoe City, Incline Village, Stateline and Markleeville.
Snow totals of 2 to 3 feet are expected around the Tahoe Basin, with the highest amounts along the west shore and across much of Alpine County. Elevations above 7,000 feet could see 3 to 5 feet by the time the storm ends. The heaviest snowfall rates are expected late Monday afternoon through Tuesday evening.
According to the National Weather Service in Reno, valley wind gusts will reach 35 to 45 mph, while Sierra ridge gusts may exceed 100 mph. Blowing snow will sharply reduce visibility, creating periods of near-zero visibility on mountain passes and along exposed stretches of Interstate 80, Highway 50 and Highway 89.
Travel may become very difficult to impossible at times. Chain controls and temporary road closures are likely, especially during peak snowfall Monday night and Tuesday. Strong winds combined with heavy snow could bring down trees and power lines, raising the risk of outages.
Residents and visitors should delay non-essential travel and prepare for extended winter conditions. Keep emergency supplies in vehicles, charge electronic devices and monitor Caltrans and NDOT updates by calling 511 before departing
