pyramid lake

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There hasn't been much precipitation over California and the Sierra since summer but approaching weather systems may change that.

A series of systems through the weekend will break down the persistent dry pattern, with the first bringing increased winds late Thursday afternoon into Thursday night with fire danger concerns for portions of Mono County. Rain and snow chances arrive Friday night and Saturday with a second round Sunday. Another period of gusty winds is looking likely for Sunday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) Reno.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After one day of blue skies above Lake Tahoe, smoke once again has filled the Basin. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno, the smoke is from multiple fires including the Fork Fire west of Lake Tahoe which sent some smoke into Emerald Bay on Wednesday.

NWS Reno has just issued a Dense Smoke Advisory which is in effect now through Friday at 5:00 p.m. due to the smoke moving into the area faster than previously forecast.

For the past 18 years, volunteers have been monitoring water quality conditions across the Lake Tahoe and Truckee River watersheds, collecting data at a single point in time to better understand the area as a whole. It is a bi-state collaborative that can achieve a larger watershed approach to successful data collection.

On May 17 and 18, 2019, volunteers will once again head out and perform a variety of tests including temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, algae, and nitrogen.

Smoke from fires west of Lake Tahoe is expected to come into the basin again today, but Sunday morning is clear. Here is an update on most fires in Northern California and Western Nevada.

When looking back at the month of July, each day's high temperatures in South Lake Tahoe were above average except for one, which was equal to the high. Even though July was a warm month, no record highs were set.

After such a warm month, August is starting out much the same.

In a one man show, Chris Bayer will portray both Major William Ormsby and Lucky Bill Thorington in “The Major and the Gambler” at Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Wednesday, August 9, at 6:30 pm.

Major William Mathew Ormsby was born in 1814 in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Ormsby was a teamster, failed horse dealer, citizen at large, visionary and one of the most important figures in the founding of Nevada and its capitol, Carson City. He was killed in 1860 during the Pyramid Lake Paiute uprising.

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Those who live in the Sierra know its been a wet and snowy winter, but now the record books support what they've experienced over the past six months: It is now the wettest winter on record in the Northern California mountains.

Precipitation measured at eight stations from Lake Tahoe to Mt. Shasta surpassed to old record held for 35 years. In that winter of 1982-1983 there was 88.5 inches of of precipitation measured at the same eight station. Today's measurement was 89.7 inches.

Kingsbury Grade, the main connection between Lake Tahoe and the Carson Valley, has been reopened by the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT).

In December, a sinkhole formed where a drainage pipe crosses underneath the road at mile marker 4.3, approximately 10 miles up the road on the Carson Valley side. NDOT closed it on January 3 to put in temporary repairs and reopened three days later.

Many roads in Nevada were under water Sunday after torrential rains went through, causing rivers and streams to flood. In Reno alone 50 roads were closed due to high water levels, and all bridges over the Truckee River in Reno were also closed.

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) spent the day evaluating the state's roads affected by floods and rain. Multiple state roads in the greater Truckee Meadows and Carson Valley areas remain closed, including those in the Sparks industrial area and areas of Reno, including East McCarran Boulevard and South Virginia Street.

The Virginia Mountains Complex fires burning about 35 miles north of Reno have burned almost 60,000 acres since being started by lightning on July 29. The complex is composed of five separate wildland fires, including the Anderson (16,284 acres), Sage (4,238 acres), Seven Lakes (3,063 acres), Rock (2,293 acres) and Tule (30,340 acres) Fires. The fires are burning within about 20 miles of each other in an arc.

The 607 firefighters working on the fires have been able to get them 73 percent contained.

Four separate fires are burning north of Reno, sending smoke throughout Northern Nevada and the Lake Tahoe basin.

The Virginia Mountains Complex is made up currently of four separate wildland fires, including the Anderson (5626 acres), Sage (4239 acres), Seven Lakes (3063 acres) and Tule (7267 acres) Fires. All of these lightning-caused fires are burning within about 20-miles of each other in an arc about 35-miles north of Reno.

The vast majority of the public lands burning are administered by the Bureau of Land Management-Carson City District.

Over one hundred community members will gather on May 14 as the League to Save Lake Tahoe organizes the year’s largest single-day, hands-on citizens science effort to capture a snapshot of the water quality health of South Shore streams feeding into Lake Tahoe.

“By participating in the 16th annual Snapshot Day, volunteers are building on years of data gathered in these streams to provide valuable data information we can use to help protect Lake Tahoe,” said Jesse Patterson, deputy director for the League to Save Lake Tahoe.

Whittell High School is heading to the Nevada state championships next week as the #1 seed from the north after taking care of Mineral County, winning 60-44.

The Warriors trip to the Northern Nevada Division IV title began with a 14-0 regular season record. In round one of the tournament they beat Jackpot 69-36, followed by a semifinal Whittell victory over Pyramid Lake 60-49.

As one weather system leaves Lake Tahoe, the next one is waiting off the coast of California and heading to the Sierra overnight. The National Weather Service says upper elevations will see more snow that the past storm, with rain for the valleys. South Lake is at an elevation that rests in between rain and snow.

Most snow impacts will be confined to areas above 7,000 feet, a rain/snow mix around 6500 feet and all rain in lower valley locations will create slick road conditions. The highest elevations can see a foot of snow, with 1 to 4" above 6,500 feet, and one inch around the lake.

Fall sports for South Tahoe High and Whittell High Schools are on the home stretch, with several teams headed to the playoffs.

More than a hundred trained volunteers will continue a 15 year tradition with a one-day hands-on effort to capture a snapshot of the health of Lake Tahoe’s watershed on May 16 at Lake Tahoe Community College.

“Snapshot Day creates the opportunity for people of all ages and experience levels to take part in protecting our watershed,” said Jesse Patterson, deputy director for the League to Save Lake Tahoe.

The Friends of the Library, in partnership with the Lake Tahoe Historical Society, are excited to present "Pyramid Lake and the Imagined West". Author Dr. Bernard Mergen is in Reno for new exhibit of this very historically significant Lake and will be coming to the library to share the history of Pyramid Lake from the 1840s to the present in an educational and entertaining way.

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It's not everyday that you see a high school coach reach the milestone of 700 coaching victories, but Whittell High School's Phil Bryant has done just that. The dual varsity basketball and football coach, Bryant led his basketball team to a win on December 11, making it the 700th time teams he was coaching had a victory.

Since that date, the Warriors have posted wins against Mammoth 72-44, Lee Vining 75-37, Loyalton 74-47, Pyramid Lake 50-46 and Coleville 73-22, bringing Bryant's victory count up to 705.

Lake Tahoe is one of California’s greatest natural treasures. It is a beauty to behold, with forested mountains surrounding the deep blue shimmering surface. It is famous for many recreational activities- snowboarding, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, boating, fishing, and sunbathing. But the clear blue waters of Tahoe are in trouble. Invasive species, climate change, and sedimentation all threaten the unique ecosystems of the lake.

Here’s an advance notice of something very special in the outdoor world that will occur in just a few days: Draw a great big red circle around the date of Saturday, June 8 on your calendar and then plan to have a fun-filled day in the Great Outdoors.

June 8 is Nevada’s Free Fishing Day for the year 2013. On that day, you can fish anywhere you want, and not need a Nevada fishing license or a Nevada Trout Stamp or a Nevada Second Rod Stamp.

When the Sutter Mill’s meteorite streaked across the Nevada sky in April, it made a loud boom and shook homes throughout the region. Ken Smith, associate director for the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, Reno heard it and felt it that Sunday morning. His scientific curiosity drew him right to the lab’s earthquake monitoring network to see what registered on the more than 150 reporting stations. He found an astonishing series of registrations.

Here is a video update from the National Weather Service in Reno regarding the winter storm moving into the Lake Tahoe Basin.
The strong cold front has moved into the Lake Tahoe area with snow levels expected down to the valley floors. Snowfall will be the heaviest Thursday night with lake effect snow bands possible on the east side of Lake Tahoe and in the Carson Range on Friday night as well as southeast of Pyramid Lake.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of Oct. 10-17.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of Sept. 26 through Oct. 2.