conditions

There will be a cold front moving into the Lake Tahoe and western Nevada area late Monday night into Tuesday morning. The front is bringing with it strong winds and much colder temperatures, but no rain or snow.

Southwest winds from 25 mph to 40 mph are expected with gusts up to 60 mph possible.

The National Weather Service has issued a lake wind advisory for Lake Tahoe which will be in effect from 2 p.m. Monday to 11 a.m. Tuesday. Wave heights will be from 2' to 5' with the highest waves Monday night and early Tuesday morning from mid-lake to the north and east shores.

Climate experts are discussing what we can do for the future in the drought. A forum on Wednesday afternoon summarized the climate conditions for the entire Great Basin, and how they affect resources like agriculture and wildlife.

These forums are important because experts say climate not only has a big impact on our region, but experts say it also affects our economy.

Of South Lake Tahoe's 120 motels and hotels, 58 of them are being used for long term occupancy. This means that people are now living in 1,300 rooms that were never meant to be used as long term residences.

Since most of these units do not have refrigeration or cooking facilities, and because many times there are families living in a room meant for just two people for a night or two, the City is looking into the situation.

An illegal campfire at Granite Lake in Desolation Wilderness started a wildfire on Tuesday according to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). With the lack of a deep snowpack and high winds in the area this week, the fire could have easily spread had it not been for the quick response by USFS firefighters.

Illegal and unattended campfires cause over 90 percent of wildfires in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Fire managers are concerned about the impact from illegal campfires as we are in our fourth year of drought and forest conditions are already as dry as they would be in June.

Expect to see some smoke around the Lake Tahoe basin this week as the U.S. Forest Service continues their prescribed fire operations.

Starting Monday, March 30, 2015, weather permitting, the burning of hand piles of wood and slash will take place in Blackwood Canyon between Tahoe City and Tahoma, on the south side of Meeks Bay, on Gardner Mountain near South Tahoe High School and off Gardner Street, on Luther Pass near Grass Lake, at Ski Run Boulevard near Heavenly and on the East Shore near Logan Creek Drive.

Operations may last through the next several weeks as conditions allow.

A preliminary environmental report has been completed on the Tahoe Valley Area Plan and is ready for public input.

This report is created so the agencies developing the plan can determine whether a nEnvironmental Impact Report (EIR), a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), or a Negative Declaration is required for a project under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines.

You will soon be seeing this state of the art, high tech van traveling through the streets of South Lake Tahoe. Equiped with lasers, GPS, digital measuring tools and cameras, the van will be able to record the conditions of the city's infrastructure, thus allowing the gathered data to be evaluated to priorizie all maintenance.

Nationally it is estimated that there are $2 trillion of backlog mainenance to roads and other items in the infrastruce of cities and counties. Locally the number is estimated at $26 million.

Sierra-at-Tahoe is the latest Lake Tahoe area ski resort to announce that it will suspend operations, beginning Monday, because of the lack of snow brought on by the ongoing drought in the west.

Vail Resorts announced today that the 2015-16 Tahoe local's pass will open up access to nine resorts.

The facts are startling. El Dorado County has twice the number of suicides than the state average. El Dorado County has 2.5 times the state average of maternity mental issues. The domestic violence rate in El Dorado County is 1.5 times higher than the state average. More people are living in the county with mental issues than ever before.

A day long forum of mental health care providers, agencies, medical professionals and other community members was held in South Lake Tahoe on Thursday in order to find what needs are being met, and unmet, in the area.

4:11 pm 3/1/15 Update from Jeff Munson, CarsonNow.org:

Six people were injured in a weather related head-on crash Saturday morning on Highway 50 near Zephyr Cove, a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper said. One woman remains in serious condition.

The accident was reported at 8:48 a.m. and involved a Toyota Camry, occupied by five people, three males and two females, and a Volvo, driven by a Carson City resident.

According to NHP Trooper Daniel Lopez, the Camry was going eastbound on Highway 50 and crossed over into the westbound lane, striking the Volvo head-on, said Lopez.

Joint fire operations by the Nevada Division of Forestry and U.S. Forest Service are resuming in the Lake Tahoe area.

Depnding on weather conditions, South Shore operations will take place on Gardner Mountain near STHS and off of Gardner Street, in Christmas Valley, Luther Pass near Grass Lake, on Ski Run Blvd. near Heavenly Valley, on lower Kingsbury near Easy Street, Logan Creek Drive and southwest of Meeks Bay. On the Northern half, activity will be seen in the Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park north of Spooner Summmet off Hwy 28 and at Memorial Point near Sand Harbor.

With the South Lake Tahoe airport not having scheduled passenger service since 2001, and with a master plan last updated in 1992, it was time to create a new plan based on the needs of the area today, and in the future.

The FAA gave funding support to the City to initiate the new master plan in 2013. The recommended development shall be presented in three planning periods; short-term (2015 to 2019), intermediate-term (2020 to 2024), and long-term (2025 to 2034).

Several different areas around the Lake Tahoe basin have been tapped for continued fire operations.

Over 700 acres will be burned north of Tahoma near Elizabeth Drive, southwest of Meeks Bay, on Gardner Mountain near South Tahoe High School and Gardner Street, Christmas Valley, Luther Pass near Grass Lake, and Ski Run Boulevard near Heavenly. On the East Shore, operations may take place near Logan Creek Drive and off Highway 28 north of Spooner Summit.

Operations will last through the next several weeks as conditions allow.

Aided by rainfall, firefighters were taking control of a forest fire that destroyed about 40 homes in the Eastern Sierra near Mammoth Mountain.

Crews had the blaze about 65% contained by Sunday, nearly two days after a blaze whipped by winds tore into the towns of Swall Meadows and Paradise, with about 250 inhabitants. The towns are about 25 miles southeast of the Mammoth Mountain ski resort, near U.S. Highway 395.

The main problem now is more than four dozen downed power lines and damaged trees, making conditions too hazardous to lift mandatory evacuation orders in the area.

Over 700 more acres of slash pile still remain to be burned around the Lake Tahoe Basin as part of the California Tahoe Conservancy, Nevada Division of Forestry and U.S. Forest Service fire operations.

The word of the day: Pogonip.

That is what gave the top of South Lake Tahoe's Heavenly Mountain Resort the look of winter and fresh snow on Saturday morning.

According to the National Weather Service in Reno, a cloud deck around 8,000-9,000 feet was in place most of the night and the supercooled liquid droplets froze on the branches becoming a thick coating of frost.

Here is the definition of "pogonip" from Wikipedia:

California State Parks and the U.S. Forest Service may continue prescribed fire operations on Monday, January 26, 2015. Operations may take place near Tahoe City on Highway 28 between Rocky Ridge and Lake Forest, near Emerald Bay at Eagle Point Campground, the Boat Camp and behind Vikingsholm, Gardner Mountain near South Tahoe High School, Luther Pass near Grass Lake, Ski Run Boulevard near Heavenly, and on the East Shore near Logan Creek Drive and the north side of Spooner Summit. Operations will last through the next several weeks as conditions allow.

California State Parks, the Nevada Division of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service will continue prescribed fire operations on Tuesday, January 20, 2015. Operations may take place near Tahoe City on Highway 28 between Rocky Ridge and Lake Forest, near Emerald Bay at Eagle Point Campground, the Boat Camp and behind Vikingsholm, Fallen Leaf Lake, Ski Run Boulevard near Heavenly, north of Spooner Summit, and Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park near Sand Harbor.

Over 400 acres will be burned as fire operations continue over the next several weeks.

You can now buy either a California or Nevada license plate and help raise money for Lake Tahoe environmental efforts.

The Tahoe Fund is working with the California Tahoe Conservancy and Nevada State Lands to promote the sale of their Lake Tahoe license plates. Between now and April 5, 2015, receive two free alpine or nordic tickets to the resort of your choice when you purchase the special plates.

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team would like to remind everyone that extra precautions need to be taken while traveling during the winter. Along with potential hazardous road conditions, motorists can expect extreme delays due to snow conditions or accidents. We recommend following these tips to ensure a safe trip to your destination:

· Ensure that your vehicle is stocked with extra warm clothing, food, water, a shovel and other survival supplies in case you become stuck on a mountain road.
· Make sure that your gas tank is full before leaving on any trip.

Shortly after graduating from UC Davis in 1983 and working at wineries in Napa Valley and the Santa Lucia Highlands, Jonathan Lachs and Susan Marks took desk jobs in Silicon Valley. High-tech was the couple's ticket to their dream vineyard and winery -- but it wouldn't be in Napa or Monterey.

While at Davis, Lachs had tasted a 1980 Madrona Vineyards Chardonnay from the El Dorado Hills -- a wine so pure it sealed his fate.

"The wine was so refreshing, bright and true to character compared to the big oaky wines that were popular at the time," he recalls.

Recent snowfall and cold temperatures allowed Northstar California Resort to open additional trails and lifts for skiers and riders.

Martis Camp Express, which offers access to the resort’s popular Lookout Mountain, opened today with access to Upper Martis and Washoe trails. Additionally, the Lookout Link lift opened.

Overnight temperatures as cold as 12 degrees created ideal snowmaking conditions, allowing for the additional terrain to open. Tonight’s temperatures are forecast to dip as low as five degrees, which will bring another night of excellent snowmaking weather.

Flu season is underway. Misconceptions about the flu prevent people from taking the proper precautions. For example, being out the in cold does not cause the flu. Here are a few more flu myths I hear and facts to help you stay healthy this winter.

FLU MYTHS

MYTH:If you think you have the flu, go to the doctor to get antibiotics.