Winter Storm Watch issued for Lake Tahoe on Christmas Day

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It is looking more like a white Christmas for the Lake Tahoe Basin as a Winter Storm Watch is now in effect from late Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. A stormy pattern is taking shape as another Pacific storms look to impact the Sierra and western Nevada into early next week.

Heavy snow is possible with this first storm and total snow accumulations of 3 to 8
inches are possible with 1 foot or more above 7000 feet. Exposed Sierra ridge winds could gust to 85 mph or higher.

Travel could be very difficult over the Sierra and in the Tahoe Basin Friday night. Heavy snow and gusty winds could produce whiteout conditions at times, especially over passes.

A second, colder storm is possible late Sunday into Monday according to the National weather Service (NWS) in Reno. While this storm could bring some snow into valley areas and the Eastern Sierra, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the storm track and impacts at this time.

The seven-day forecast from NWS Reno:

Today - Sunny, with a high near 41. East wind around 10 mph.

Tonight - Mostly clear, with a low around 14. Calm wind.

Thursday - Sunny, with a high near 46. Calm wind.

Thursday Night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. Calm wind.

Christmas Day - A slight chance of rain and snow after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 48. Light southwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday Night - Rain and snow, becoming all snow after 1am. Low around 28. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Saturday - Snow likely, mainly before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Saturday Night - Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.

Sunday - A slight chance of snow after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 33.

Sunday Night - A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16.

Monday - A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33.

Monday Night - Mostly cloudy, with a low around 10.

Tuesday - Mostly sunny, with a high near 35.