South Lake Tahoe, California – Travel across the Lake Tahoe region could grind to a halt later this week as a powerful winter storm targets the Sierra, bringing feet of snow, damaging winds, and the risk of widespread disruptions from Tuesday night through Friday morning.
According to the National Weather Service in Reno, a Winter Storm Warning goes into effect late Tuesday night for the greater Lake Tahoe area, following a Winter Weather Advisory that remains in place through late Monday afternoon. Snowfall during the warning period is expected to be intense and long-lasting, with dangerous conditions developing rapidly overnight Tuesday.
Forecasters expect 1 to 2 feet of snow at lake level, while communities above 7,000 feet — including Truckee, Incline Village, Tahoe City, and South Lake Tahoe — could see 3 to 5 feet of accumulation. Ridgetop winds may gust as high as 100 mph, creating whiteout conditions and significant drifting, especially along mountain passes and exposed roadways.
The combination of heavy, dense snow and extreme winds raises concerns for downed trees and power lines, which could lead to extended outages. Travel may become very difficult to impossible at times, particularly from Wednesday through Thursday.
Residents and visitors are urged to complete travel and storm preparations before Tuesday night. Warnings remain in effect through Friday morning, and additional updates are expected as the storm unfolds.
