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The California State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health have ordered all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence, except as needed to maintain continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors.

Some people may be confused and hear different messages and wonder exactly what are "essential services". To list what the State order covered they have come out with a guideline to help navigate these unchartered waters.

What does this mean?

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Just as they have for the past 43 years, the Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra Club is honoring women and youth in the South Lake Tahoe community. They recently held their annual awards celebration and honored four young women from South Tahoe Middle School and South Tahoe High School as well as four women from the community.

For the GIVE Award, honored were Alexi Haven, Tovah Jordan, Esty Zanetti, and Maiella Riva. The Ruby Award was given to Suzanne Boyer and the Live Your Dream Award was given to Heather Wilson, Olga Zepeda and Kelly Meyer.

Following their earlier announcement of temporarily closing all ski resorts due to the coronavirus COVID-19, Vail Resorts today announced all of its North American resorts and retail stores will remain closed for the 2019-20 winter ski season. These closures are amidst the continued challenges associated with the spread of virus across the globe.

Dependent on the COVID-19 situation and weather conditions, Heavenly may reopen in late April/early May. The company may also consider reopening Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado and Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) is on a delayed start of 10:00 a.m. this morning to allow time for snow removal operations to catch up around town.

LTCC plans on being open this coming week with staff on hand to assist students. They have moved face-to-face Winter quarter final exams to March 16-20 and have put social distancing measures into place on campus to help curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It's been a busy day on the highways around Lake Tahoe today with several accidents and road closures.

As of 5:00 p.m. Saturday, law enforcement and rescue teams have responded to a reported head-on collision on Pioneer Trail, west of Golden Bear, a collision on Pioneer Trail and US 50 in Meyers, a collision on US 50 at Kyburz, a car off the roadway on SR89 near Emerald Bay and two collisions on US88 near Kirkwood. There are also numerous collisions on I80 and on the North Shore.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Intermittent Sierra showers will continue through Monday before another storm swings up from southern California with increased chances for precipitation south of Highway 50 for Tuesday and Wednesday. More mild and sunny conditions will return for the last half of the work week before another storm approaches for the weekend according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno.

The NWS Reno weekly forecast for South Lake Tahoe:

Monday - A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 47. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT), which includes local, state and federal land management agencies, will continue prescribed fire operations in the Tahoe Basin over the next several weeks, weather permitting. Smoke may be visible.

Aspen 1011 - USDA Forest Service - Location: Off Pioneer and Marshall trails near South Lake Tahoe. Burn Type: Hand Piles. Total Acreage: 10.00. Planned Ignition: 02/28/2020

Twin Peaks 1091 - USDA Forest Service - Location: Near corner of Pawnee Drive and Iroquois Circle, Meyers, CA. Burn Type: Hand Piles. Total Acreage: 30.00.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After a brief winter storm, things are clearing up for Lake Tahoe in the week ahead with the high getting near 60 on Thursday. Just as the forecast over the last few weekends, a slight chance of snow returns on Friday nigh with dropping temperatures.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The monthly manual survey of the snowpack at Phillips Station, just west of Lake Tahoe, revealed data that won't catch many by surprise. There is 29 inches of snow with a snow water equivalent (SWE) of 11.5 inches at the location near US50 and Sierra-at-Tahoe Road. This is 47 percent of the March average at this spot.

The SWE measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack, which provides a more accurate forecast of spring runoff.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lighter winds return Monday and persist through much of the week as high pressure settles into northeast California and western Nevada. Dry conditions continue this week with high temperatures remaining above average. Low pressure may impact the region next weekend with gusty winds along with rain and snow showers.

Any rain or snowfall amounts will not be heavy but could cause travel impacts and will be welcome after a dry February, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) Reno.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It isn't news to those who live in or frequent the Lake Tahoe region, the area has been experiencing very dry conditions this winter. Even though dry, it is not bad enough yet to put Tahoe into a drought category. The Drought Monitor released this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) places 45 percent of the country in the D0-D4 categories, or abnormally dry to exceptional drought. This is a big change from 2018-19. At that time Lake Tahoe had well above average snow, but 62.6 percent of the U.S. fell into the Do-D4 categories.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A weak cold front moved over the Sierra early Sunday, making way for a dry front to move over Lake Tahoe. Expect cooler temperatures and drier conditions for much of this week. A new system is possible towards the end of next weekend.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno, current indicators point to a sharp frontal boundary associated with a tight pressure gradient. It`s too far out to tease out much detail, but this system could produce colder temperatures, gusty winds, and better precipitation chances than we`ve recently seen. The biggest

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The St. Joseph Community Land Trust (SJCLT) in South Lake Tahoe provides permanently affordable homes and supportive programs for low and moderate-income residents. They may have a few more to offer if the City Council meeting on Tuesday goes as expected.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - If the reading is verified, the wind gust of 209 mph recorded at Kirkwood just before 8:00 a.m. Sunday is potentially be a new California state record.

The winds throughout the Sierra have closed not only Kirkwood Mountain Resort operations for the day but also Sierra-at-Tahoe. Some lifts are on wind hold or closed at Heavenly Mountain Resort, Squaw Alpine, Northstar, Mt. Rose and others.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After a good start to the Sierra snowpack, big storms have almost been non-existent this winter. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports January 2020 was the fifth warmest on record in the US.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Couples wanting to take the big leap can do so on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2020, when Sierra-at-Tahoe hosts the first-ever Great Sierra Elopement.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) conducted the second manual snow survey of the season at Phillips Station Thursday, and they found 40.5 inches of snow depth and snow water equivalent (SWE) of 14.5 inches. The snowpack at this location is 79 percent of the February average, with the rest of the state measuring in at 73 percent of average.

The Phillips Station total is 58 percent of the seasonal average.

"It's decent but below average," said Sean de Guzman, chief of DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Section.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Storms for the winter of 2019/20 haven't been prolific, but this week's one-day storm left behind up to two feet of snow at Lake Tahoe ski resorts and about a foot around South Lake Tahoe.

Chain controls remain on mountain roads Friday morning but expect them to be dropping as the forecast calls for partly sunny skies and a high of 35. Saturday and Sunday will be partly to mostly sunny and in the mid-40s.

Road controls as of 7:45 a.m. January 17:

US50

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Yes, it is snowing in Lake Tahoe! The predicted winter storm has arrived as is forecast to drop 10"-16" of snow at lake level before midnight Thursday, and up to two feet of snow at upper elevations.

Chain controls are in place on all mountain roads around the Lake Tahoe Basin and in the Sierra. On US50, chains are required as low as Placerville and trucks over 65-feet in length are not allowed on the road. On I80, chains are required starting in Colfax. There are several jackknifed big rigs on the highway. Prior to heading on the roads, check conditions.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With the arrival of winter, El Dorado County Animal Services is reminding residents to take precautions with their pets.
“Winter in our county regularly brings freezing temperatures, frigid wind, ice and snow,” said Henry Brzezinski, Chief of El Dorado County Animal Services. “These conditions can adversely affect animals in numerous ways, and even threaten a pet’s life. A few simple steps can ensure your pet’s safety.”

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - An unscheduled prescribed burn at Fallen Leaf Lake on Thursday was the cause of concern from many Lake Tahoe area residents as smoke could be seen for miles.

Fire officials from the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit were in the area to do test burns for a future ignition when they found the conditions to be right to start their 50-acre project of burning hand piles along Fallen Leaf Lake Road near South Lake Tahoe.

Members of the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team, which includes local, state and federal fire and land management agencies, are scheduled to continue prescribed fire operations in the Lake Tahoe Basin over the next few weeks, weather permitting.

The 13 areas currently on the planned operations:

The old Tahoe Pines Campground near the intersection of US Hwy 50 and South Upper Truckee Rd. by the California Tahoe Conservancy. 8 acres of Machine Piles.

Upper Kinsbury, Valley Side by the Tahoe Douglas Fire District. 40 acres of Hand Piles.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The latest storm hit quickly Sunday morning, bringing snow to South Lake Tahoe area roads and, with those, chain controls, traffic issues and collisions.

Drivers heading west over Echo Summit have been attempting short cuts through Lake Tahoe Blvd., Mandan Street, Sawmill Road and North Upper Truckee, and because of that they are creating a mess with double parking as they put on chains and blocking the roadway.

STATELINE, Nev. - Six projects were given Best in the Basin awards Wednesday by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). The presentation of the 29th annual winners was made before their board meeting at Stateline.

The TRPA Best in Basin awards program showcases projects around the lake that demonstrate exceptional planning, implementation, and compatibility with Tahoe’s natural environment and communities.