record breaking

Autumn’s reflections have begun and Lake Tahoe’s forests and wildlife are preparing for the winter. While fall is generally a treasured time of year at the lake, a sense of uneasiness hangs in the crisp air as we brace for the next phase of the COVID crisis.

Summer was record breaking on many fronts. Businesses and agencies with major staff and budget shortages were suddenly required to manage the pandemic, following strict protocols. Trash overflowed on our pristine beaches and roadways. Follow that with more than 8,300 wildfires and 4 million acres burned in California alone.

While staying above normal, temperatures will cool down slightly over the weekend and early next week, espcially in the record breaking areas of Reno and Carson City. Areas of smoke and haze will continue to degrade air quality, especially north and east of the Donnell Fire. There will be a slight chance of thunderstorms well south of Highway 50 this weekend with chances increasing and spreading farther north next week.

The forecast from the National Weather Service in Reno:

Above average temperatures return this weekend through next week with some areas at lower elevations reaching 100 degrees. We will see afternoon and evening breezes each day through Monday, with lighter winds for the rest of next week. There will be increasing chances for showers and thunderstorms by mid to late next week.

Temps will be in the 80s and above average but forecast highs are not going to be record breaking in South Lake Tahoe.

The forecast from the National Weather Service in Reno:

Tonight - Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Temperatures are well above normal in Lake Tahoe and there is no snow in sight, for now. The highs will be in the 50s and will be close to record breaking.

There is a persistent ridge of high pressure along the West Coast, preventing major storms from breaking through and bringing snow to Lake Tahoe. Expect things to not change through New Year's Day, but there is some hope for precipitation at the end of next week.

A front will drop down near Susanville this weekend, but nothing is expected further south, but temperatures will drop a couple of degrees.

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.

Rain and snow flows during the atmospheric river storm that hit South Lake Tahoe in January created more than double the normal flow through the South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD).

On a normal 4th of July, when most beds are filled in local homes and motels, STPUD sees about five million gallons go through the sewer plant, but with the large amounts of snow and rain on roads and in yards, 12.57 million gallons flowed through the plant on January 8, 2017.

The owners of Jamba Juice in South Lake Tahoe will have a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony at their newly remodeled store on June 16 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Abra Teague, owner of Jamba Juice since January 2011, has seen a year on year increase of customers as visitors flock to enjoy the natural beauty and outdoor activities that South Lake Tahoe has to offer.

After a short cooling trend, look for that to reverse itself this week in South Lake Tahoe as a strong warming trend comes to the Sierra and Reno/Carson City area. Reno should see record breaking temperatures while the South Shore will see them above average.

The records on file:

Date.......Record Temp...Year.....Forecast Temp....Average
Sept 8.........90........1988........83..............74
Sept 9.........88........1988........84..............74
Sept 10........86........1988........84..............74
Sept 11........88........1990........85..............72

While the Tahoe Douglas Rotary's annual St. Patrick's Day fundraiser has always been a local's favorite, this year's event created such a buzz around town that it actually sold out a month ago.

On Friday, March 13, 650 people filled Harrah's Convention Center for an evening of first responder honorees, an inaugural digital silent auction, a wine and beer bar with televisions to watch the bidding from as well as a red carpet with "paparazzi" to record the evening.

Regarded by many as the best track and field team ever, members of the 1968 Olympic team returned to the site of their high altitude training center and U.S. Olympic Men's Track & Field Trials on Friday as the location was honored with a California State Historical Marker.

A crowd of a few hundred people gathered at Echo Summit for "Return to the Summit" which honored the unique location as well as the unique time and team. There were tumultuous times in 1968 prior to the Olympics with the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr and Bobby Kennedy as well as the Vietnam War.