Reno, NV – A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for the Greater Lake Tahoe Area and parts of Lassen, Plumas, and Eastern Sierra Counties, with forecasters warning of heavy snow and damaging winds from early Thursday morning through Friday morning.
According to the National Weather Service in Reno, snowfall will begin after 1 a.m. Thursday, impacting elevations above 7,000 feet around Tahoe and 5,500 feet in the northern Sierra. Totals of 4 to 10 inches are expected across mountain communities, with up to 16 inches along the Sierra crest. At lake level, 1 to 3 inches of snow could accumulate before precipitation briefly changes to rain Thursday morning, then back to snow by evening.
Wind gusts on Sierra ridges may exceed 100 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph over Lake Tahoe producing waves of 2 to 4 feet. Elsewhere, ridge-top winds in Lassen and Plumas Counties could reach 70 mph, potentially knocking down tree limbs and power lines.
Travel across Donner, Carson, and Ebbetts Passes is expected to become dangerous, with whiteout conditions possible during heavy bursts of snow. Commuters should plan for delays Thursday morning and evening and check Caltrans and NDOT updates before heading into mountain areas.
A brief break is expected Friday, but forecasters say additional systems may follow later in the weekend.
