Rain and up to a foot of new snow expected in Lake Tahoe Basin

Submitted by paula on Wed, 01/27/2016 - 10:40pm

A new winter storm along with an atmospheric river will impact the Sierra and western Nevada starting Friday and through the weekend.

The National Weather Service is anticipating travel impacts due to rain, snow, and gusty winds for the entire weekend. Precipitation will begin in northeast California and the Sierra early Friday with very high snow levels and accumulating snow mainly above 8000 feet. Snow levels will begin to drop late Friday into early Saturday allowing accumulations down to near 4500 to 5000 feet.

The southern Sierra in Mono county will be about six hours, but snow accumulations will be similar or greater once precipitation starts because of the high elevations in that area. A colder system is expected for Sunday and Monday with the potential for additional snow in the Sierra and snow across western Nevada as well, but uncertainty remains high with the details for now.

Tonight - Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.

Thursday - A slight chance of rain between 10am and 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 50. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday Night - A 50 percent chance of rain after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Friday -Rain, mainly after 10am. High near 48. Breezy, with a southwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Friday Night - Rain before 10pm, then rain and snow. Low around 31. Breezy, with a west wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Saturday - Snow. High near 38. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Saturday Night - Snow. Low around 23. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Sunday - Snow. Cloudy, with a high near 31.

Sunday Night - Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13.

Monday - A slight chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 31.

Monday Night - A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 12.

Tuesday - A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34.

Tuesday Night - A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 14.

Wednesday - Partly sunny, with a high near 39.