rain

Here is an update for road conditions and weather forecast for Friday, December 11.

Chain controls are widespread this morning:

At 8 a.m., chains or 4WD with snow tires are required all the way on Highway 50 from Meyers to Pollock Pines.

Chains are required on all vehicles except 4WD with snow tires on Hwy 89 from Pickett's Junction to 2.7 miles south of junction with Highway 50 in Meyers; from 4.5 miles north of Y to Bliss State Park, then chains or snow tires from Bliss State Park to junction of I80.

The first wave of the storm coming to Lake Tahoe had warm temperatures, rain and wind, but because of what is forecast later in the day Thursday, Douglas County schools at the lake are closed.

Lake Tahoe Unified Schools, which cover the south end of the lake, are open. There is a chance that after-school programs will be closed but that decision will be made later in the day.

In Truckee: All Schools Open Today, December 10, 2015 Except Donner Trail Elementary/Donner Summit Students due to the high confidence that the storm will bring heavy snow later in the day.

Sunday - A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 11am, then a slight chance of rain showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 47. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Sunday Night - Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Monday - Partly sunny, with a high near 52. Southwest wind around 10 mph.

Monday Night - Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday - Partly sunny, with a high near 53. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Zawadisha's annual Holiday Bazaar is back again, and this time in a new location. Join them at the Blue Angel Cafe on Saturday, December 5 to knock out your holiday shopping while helping to change the world at the same time. The event will be held in the loft upstairs at the restaurant located at 1132 Ski Run Blvd. from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Entrance is free and all ages are welcome.

Anyone on the roads today noticed a big influx of travelers, both inside the Tahoe basin and on the state's highways.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) advises motorists that experts are predicting a slight increase in all methods of travel nationwide, with about 47 million people traveling either by car or airplane for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The National Weather Service has upgraded the system heading to the Sierra. They have put in a Winter Storm Warning from noon Tuesday, November 24 to 4 a.m. on Wednesday. Since the storm is coming from the north, forecasters expect snow to hit Washoe County by 10 a.m. and South Lake Tahoe by 12:00 p.m.

Holiday travelers can expect roads to be impacted with heavy snow Tuesday afternoon and evening, and slick roads on Wednesday.

A high wind warning is in effect from 4 p.m. Monday until noon on Tuesday, prior to the snow falling.

A storm that didn't match predictions has moved east of Lake Tahoe, leaving behind fresh snow and clearing skies. Forecasts call for warming days and chilly nights around Lake Tahoe.

The storm hit the Reno and Carson City area the hardes, with lake-effect snow which dropped from 6 to about 18 inches. The deepest Reno-area snow fell in Stead, Panther Valley and Cold Springs. Over 36,000 Nevada Energy customers were without power overnight, causing some schools to close Tuesday.

The forecast for South Lake Tahoe from the National Weather Service:

A fast moving low pressure system will move through Lake Tahoe, the Sierra and Western Nevada Sunday and Sunday night, bringing with it another chance of snow.

Snow could impact travel in the Sierra on Sunday and in the valleys of western Nevada by Monday. Temperatures will be cold to start the week with well below freezing overnight low temperatures throughout the region.

Pipe Keepers is a citizen science program to address the threat of stormwater pollution entering Lake Tahoe. Runoff from rain storms and snowmelt is the largest source of pollution that degrades Lake clarity. League staff will train you to survey local neighborhoods and collect stormwater samples during rain and snowmelt events.

The National Weather Service in Reno says that South Lake Tahoe snow totals from the storm headed to the Sierra will be less than two inches.

When most of the moisture from this storm hits the area Sunday night, the snow levels will be above 9,000 feet, leaving the South Shore with rain. The Lake Tahoe Basin should expect 1" to 1.5" of rain.

Even though the snow levels will drop to near 6,000 feet by Monday morning, the bulk of the moisture from the storm will already have passed according to NWS.

Both Heavenly and Sierra-at-Tahoe had some snow on Wednesday, but lake level just saw rain. That is expected to change Sunday night when there is a change of snow at the lake, according to the National Weather Service.

Here is their forecast for the next seven days:

Wednesday Night - Scattered showers before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 32. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

While rain last week may have caused the Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association (TAMBA) to reschedule their annual Corral Night, an unplanned work party turned a dampened event into a chance to fix up the Corral Trail with the California Conservation Corps.

Over 60 people joined in and the result of their labors will be shown off on Saturday, October 24 when bicycle enthusiasts will enjoy the trail at night, an annual tradition.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for the King Fire area in Placer and El Dorado Counties. Doppler radar has indicated heavy rain moving into the burn area, prompting the warnings.

A warning is in place until 11 a.m. Saturday, October 17.

The severely burned areas of Rubicon River, Silver Creek and the South Fork of the American River are areas of concern due to the terrain's inability to absorb rainfall, leading to enhanced rainfall.

While many have found the warm temperatures enjoyable, others want the fall season to get underway so winter and snow can head into South Lake Tahoe.

Another glimpse of fall starts Thursday with a 40% chance of scattered showers during the day and evening. Rain doesn't last long, with the area of low pressure moves out, leaving upper 60s and sunny skies starting Monday.

A ground breaking ceremony at Edgewood Tahoe brought out community and political leaders, all wanting the celebrate their new project, the Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe.

Rain brought the ceremony indoors, but spirits weren't dampened as people speaking at the ceremony highlighted the major impacts the new project on the state line will make on South Shore's economic and community revitalization, as well as important environmental and recreational enhancements in the area.

There is a chance of thunderstorms and rain in South Lake Tahoe on Sunday, how big of a chance differs between forecasters though. Accuweather is calling for a 60% chance of thunderstorms and rain in South Lake Tahoe, mainly between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Expected amounts of precipitation are small though, with .04 inches forecast.

The National Weather Service in Reno says the chance for isolated thunder and rain is 20% for both Sunday and Monday.

Expect smoke to remain in the Lake Tahoe basin until the weather conditions change.

More than 10,000 acres of scenic meadows, forests and trout streams in the Sierra Nevada 10 miles west of Lake Tahoe have been preserved in a deal in which environmentalists hope to prove that thinning out overgrown forests can increase California's water supply.

The Northern Sierra Partnership, an environmental group based in Palo Alto and founded by longtime Silicon Valley leaders Jim and Becky Morgan, joined with the Nature Conservancy and the American River Conservancy to buy the land for $10.1 million from Simorg West Forests, a timber company based in Atlanta.

As another round of thunderstorms heads for for the Reno-Tahoe area, forecasters are warning of lightning strikes that could start dangerous wildfires.

The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for the greater Lake Tahoe Basin and California’s Mono and Alpine counties from late Thursday afternoon through late Thursday night as an area of low pressure approaches that could bring dry thunderstorms.

There were over 5,000 lightning strikes in the Sierra and Western Nevada on Saturday, many of those causing small fires. Those areas are being monitored. Mendocino County has seven lightning caused fires currently burning and Humboldt county has over 70 fires also caused by lightning.

Dust off your bowler hat, lace up your high-heeled boots and join us for the first ever Tall Timber Ball. On Oct. 9 from 6-10 p.m. you can style it steampunk or go grunge and join us under the timber beams of Valhalla’s Grand Hall while the DJ spins from the massive stone fireplace. Cool prizes will go to the most interesting looks of the night. This event kicks off the inaugural Tahoe WordWave festival and will benefit art and culture in South Lake Tahoe.

Location

Due to a forecasted 80% chance of thunderstorms today, Live at Lakeview will be held inside Tep’s Villa Roma’s banquet room from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. World’s Finest, a 5-piece Americana band with a ska twist will perform for Live at Lakeview’s
3rd week in the series with MerryGold opening the show at 7:00 p.m. Admission for this 21+ show will be $5, which will go to the entertainment.

9:00 p.m. update:

This just in from the Douglas County Sheriff's Department: On June 27, 2015, at approximately 6:17 p.m., the East Fork Fire District in Douglas County responded to a report of several wildland fires along the east side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

There have been reports of six fires along the west side of the Carson Valley.

East Fork Fire, along with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have responded to the multiple fires and are working to access each of the fires.

The long-range forecast doesn’t bode well for the interior West as it chokes on a fourth year of drought and smoke from wildfires.

With the fire season ramping up and temperatures starting to soar, drought and fire dominated the discussion at the Western Governors’ Association annual meeting being held this week at Incline Village on the shores of Lake Tahoe.

Gov. Brian Sandoval, who has chaired the group for the past year, made drought his signature initiative, bringing together water experts and managers to develop best practices for water management and drought preparation.

Markleville residents are faced with the possibility of having to evacuate if the Washington Fire comes towards their town.

Skyland residents recently took part in a neighborhood fire drill, being told they had to evacuate their homes in 10 minutes.

What would yo take?

That plan should start now, before you are faced with that time of fear and panic.

Prepare a 'Disaster Preparedness Kit.' Items in this kit should last you and your family for three days: