Winter Storm Hits Lake Tahoe - Over a Foot of New Snow

Snow has blanketed the west with several inches of snow at the lower elevations at Placerville and Auburn up to over a foot in the Sierra Nevada. South Lake Tahoe reports this morning are coming in at 12" to 15" near lake level and the snow is still coming down.

Chains are required on all vehicles except those with four wheel drive and snow tires over Echo Summit on Highway 50 from 4 miles east of Placerville to Meyers. Highway 80 is closed to all tractor-trailer combinations from Applegate to the Nevada state line due to hazardous conditions. Chains are required on all vehicles except 4 wheel drive with snow tires from Colfax to the Nevada state line.

Heavenly Mountain Resort is reporting 24" of new snow and Sierra at Tahoe's report shows 18" of new.

Saturday's forecast calls for an additional 1" to 3" during the day with temperatures rising to 22 degrees by noon. It will be breezy with winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Tonight's low will be a cold -6. Sunday's forecast is Sunny and near 24 degrees for the high and another cold evening with the low at -7. Due to Sunday night's 5 to 10 mph winds the wind chill is exptected be -25.

The next snow in the forecast according to the National Weather Service in Reno is on Thursday.