LAKE TAHOE, Calif./ Nev. — A storm could bring rain to Lake Tahoe and several inches of snow to the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada this weekend, with precipitation potentially lingering into Sunday morning.
The storm is expected to bring mainly rain to lower elevations, a mix of rain and snow at mid-mountain elevations and accumulating snow at higher elevations. The system could clear by Sunday, giving way to drier weather and warmer temperatures heading into November.
Snow levels are expected to fluctuate around 7,000 feet for much of the storm, rising toward 8,000 feet during lighter precipitation and potentially dropping closer to the base of the mountains by Sunday morning as the system moves out, weather forecaster Bryan Allegretto wrote on OpenSnow.
That could mean several inches of snow at higher elevations, with the potential for 6 to 12 inches above roughly 7,500 feet by Sunday. The lower end of that range is expected near 7,500 feet, with snowfall totals decreasing at lower elevations.
“Using my formulas that I’ve developed over the last 20 years of forecasting for the northern Sierra, I’m coming up with around 1 inch of total precipitation possible near the crest, with good spillover to the east side of the Sierra and Lake Tahoe.” Wrote Allegretto on Open Snow.
The National Weather Service in Reno forecasts 1 to 4 inches of snow above 8,000 feet in the Carson Range and areas north of U.S. Highway 50. Farther south, 3 to 6 inches are possible above 8,000 feet, with a 30% to 70% chance of snowfall exceeding 6 inches above 9,000 to 10,000 feet. Isolated locations near the crest could receive up to 9 inches.
Between 6,500 and 8,000 feet, the NWS expects a trace to 2 inches of snow, with higher totals in that range potentially resulting from brief, localized snow bursts.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if there were light, brief snow bursts below 6,500 feet due to air saturation in the Tahoe Basin and portions of U.S. Highway 395 in Mono County,” a National Weather Service forecaster said in Thursday morning’s forecast discussion.
Travelers crossing the Sierra this weekend should monitor conditions, particularly at mountain passes, where snowfall could affect driving. The NWS recommends checking road conditions through Caltrans and the Nevada Department of Transportation for travel on Mount Rose Highway.
A drier start to November
The storm is expected to clear by sometime Sunday, bringing a return to sunshine and warmer temperatures as the region heads into next week.
Highs could reach the 40s at higher elevations and the 50s near lake level, according to Allegretto. The following week is expected to remain mostly dry, although a slight chance of precipitation remains in the forecast.
However, the pattern could turn wetter later in November, with the potential for additional storms opening up beyond Nov. 10, Allegretto wrote on OpenSnow.
