South Lake Tahoe, California – A powerful winter storm is lining up to impact the Sierra Nevada late this week, with heavy mountain snow, extreme winds, and potentially impossible travel conditions expected from Friday afternoon through the weekend.
According to the National Weather Service offices in Reno, Sacramento, and Medford, Winter Storm Watches are in effect for the Greater Lake Tahoe Area, Mono County, the west slope of the northern Sierra Nevada, Plumas County, and high elevations of Siskiyou County. Snow totals of 1 to 2 feet are possible above 7,000 feet in the Tahoe Basin, with locally higher amounts along the Sierra crest. Portions of the northern Sierra and Siskiyou County could see 1 to 3 feet of snow at elevations above 5,000 to 5,500 feet.
In the Tahoe region, including South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Incline Village, and Tahoe City, strong winds could become the dominant hazard. Sierra ridgetop gusts may approach 100 mph, leading to blowing snow, whiteout conditions, and potential damage to trees and power lines. Chain controls and road closures are increasingly likely on major routes such as Interstate 80, U.S. 50, and State Route 88.
Further north, Western Plumas County and Lassen Park could see snow levels dropping late Friday night, increasing impacts on mountain passes. In Siskiyou County, locations near Mount Shasta, Etna Summit, and Snowman Summit may become nearly impassable, especially Saturday night into Sunday.
Officials urge travelers to closely monitor updates and prepare for rapidly deteriorating conditions. Watches indicate warnings are likely as the storm approaches, and additional alerts are expected before the weekend begins.
