Weather

There will be widespread haze around Lake Tahoe this weekend as smoke from the Carr Fire near Redding and the Ferguson Fire near Yosemite comes into the Basin. Even with the resulting hazy skies, the air quality has remained in the "good" range with a current AQI of 15 on Saturday morning.

Prolonged heat will affect the region well into next week with highs above 100 degrees in Western Nevada and above 85 near the Sierra. There will be increased winds each afternoon and early evening Wednesday through Friday.

Forecast from the National Weather Service in Reno:

With lightning and thunderstorms in the Lake Tahoe forecast for another few days, it's always good to review safety tips when caught in the middle of a storm.

You can protect yourself from risk even if you are caught outdoors when lightning is close by.

Safety precautions outdoors

- If the weather forecast calls for thunderstorms, postpone your trip or activity.
- Remember: When thunder roars, go indoors. Find a safe, enclosed shelter.

Smoke from the Ferguson Fire near Yosemite continues to move into the Lake Tahoe Basin. On Sunday, that smoke will be joined by clouds and a 50 percent chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms starting after 12:00 p.m. and going into the evening.

On Saturday, hail and rain was very scattered, with people in the Kingsbury Grade and Heavenly Valley area seeing several minutes of a hail storm accompanied by heavy rain, with areas west of Ski Run Boulevard not seeing a drop of rain.

The Feguson fire burning west of Yosemite continues to send smoke into the Lake Tahoe Basin. Since starting on July 13, the fire has consumed 22,892 acres and containment remains at 7 percent. It is burning in steep, hard to access terrain.

Several areas around Highway 140 reamin under mandatory evacuations and evacuation advisories.

2,711 personnel, including firefighters from South Lake Tahoe, are currently engaged on the fire which includes 203 engines, 39 water tenders, 16 helicopters, 58 handcrews, and 41 dozers.

Smoke from the fire is expected for at least the next two days.

The U.S. Forest Service ordered Fire Restrictions across the Tahoe National Forest starting Monday, July 16, 2018. The decision to order fire restrictions came after an analysis of current fuel conditions and weather observations. This analysis revealed the potential to support large fire growth across the Tahoe National Forest.

Tahoe National Forest covers land from the Sierra foothills to the California/Nevada state line, except for the Lake Tahoe basin.

Expect overnight lane closures on SR28 from July 15 to July 19 as Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) crews clear roadway shoulders and drainage systems.

Single lane closures and travel delays of up to 30 minutes should be anticipated on State Route 28 July 15 through July 19 between 6:00 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. daily. The mobile road improvement operation is scheduled to begin in the Crystal Bay area on Sunday, July 15 and move eastward over the following nights. Roadside drainage, shoulders and slopes will be cleared of debris for a safer roadway and improved area water quality.

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.

On Saturday, June 30, 2018, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), South Lake Tahoe Area, will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint in the east area of El Dorado County. The checkpoint will be setting up at approximately 8:00 p.m. and will be operational at 9:00 p.m. The checkpoint will conclude at approximately 2:00 a.m.

It is unknown where it will be set up but could be anywhere from Meyers to the state line. Designate a sober driver if you plan to go out and drink.

Hot and dry weather continues with high temperatures around 10 degrees above average through Wednesday. Stronger afternoon breezes returning on Monday and persisting through much of next week. A cooling trend is expected with near average temperatures for the end of the week.

Forecast from the National Weather Service in Reno:

Tonight - Clear, with a low around 45. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Monday - Sunny, with a high near 84. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

Monday Night - Clear, with a low around 45. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

Lake Tahoe is one of the clearest lakes in the world, known around the globe for its spectacular scenery. The lake’s water clarity is one of the many attributes that make the Tahoe Basin such an amazing natural resource and a mecca for outdoor recreation.

Tahoe Youth & Family Services held their inaugural Carson Valley Days 5k Walk, Jog Run on Saturday, June 9, and it was a great success with almost 100 participants. All funds raised will go to help the agency' mentoring and support programs.

It was a very windy start to the race, which was held on the Carson Valley Days parade route prior to its start. It wasn't just the weather trying hamper the race, a heavy response from law enforcement and fire fighting personnel
heading to an emergency south of the parade route caused delays for the race.

The epic clarity of Lake Tahoe was measured at an average of 59.7 feet in 2017, a 9.5 foot drop from the previous year and 10.3 feet lower than the five-year average according to the annual report compiled by the Tahoe Environmental Research Center at the University of California, Davis.

This measurement surpasses the previous lowest level of 64.1 feet which was recorded in 1997, but far below the record high of over 100 feet in the mid-1960s.

Strong, gusty winds return to Lake Tahoe and Northern Nevada, with a Lake Wind Advisory in effect most of the day Saturday from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Dry grass and gusty winds will create dangerous conditions for wildfire should a spark set them off....use care when outdoors as the fuels are ready.

Those heading out on Lake Tahoe and other area lakes need to be aware of hazardous boating conditions starting Friday, then going through Saturday. Remember to wear your personal flotation device at all times.

The weather, the venue and the crowd all combined for a successful 2nd annual Tahoe Brewfest, a fundraiser for the Lake Tahoe Boys & Girls Club. 34 breweries gave out samples of their craft beers to the over 3,000 people who attended the event held at the Heavenly Mountain Resort California Base Lodge June 2.

Also there for the guests was Parker Bros. Root Beer, kombucha, live music from Ike and Martin, and local food vendors.

Attendees weren't just from South Lake Tahoe as there were many from out-of-town, including visitors from Chicago and Whistler, Canada.

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. — Spooner Lake is home to over 100 different species of wildflowers. Join a wildflower expert for a leisurely two-mile walk around the lake to learn about plant names, uses, habitats and to enjoy their beauty. Park entrance fees are waived for event attendees.

Several Lake Tahoe agencies have joined together to remind residents and visitors to practice proper food storage and trash disposal at all times while in bear country. Intentional or unintentional feeding of bears can result in the bear being killed, fines and/or jail time for violators. Every year law enforcement and state wildlife officers respond to hundreds of calls in which bears may pose a public safety threat and/or are damaging property. In some cases, the animals are euthanized.

Become part of the solution and help save our Tahoe bears!

Inclement weather has delayed the completion of work on the damaged NV Energy underground electrical vault on Highway 50 at Stateline to Friday, June 1. They had originally planned for work to be completed on May 17.

The road has been paved with a temporary patch and both westbound lanes will remain open to traffic until permanent paving begins on Wednesday, May 30. Eastbound lanes will remain open during the course of work.

Due to the chance of inclement weather on Thursday, May 17, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department Annual Awards Ceremony held in honor of Peace Officer Memorial Week has been moved to the City Council Chambers located at 1901 Airport Road.

The event starts at 4:00 p.m. and will include awards, the retirement of K9 Tara, and the swearing in ceremony of recently selected Sergeant, Jeffrey Roberson.

The 10-year-old Tara's handler is Sergeant Jason Cheney.

The main artery between South Lake Tahoe and Sacramento/Bay area will be getting a much needed repaving job with funds from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the gas tax increase that went into effect January 1, 2018.

Caltrans will repave 200 lane miles on U.S. Highway 50 from the El Dorado/Sacramento County line to west of Sunrise Boulevard in Sacramento County from the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.

Funds generated because of the bill's passing come from:
A 12-cent-a-gallon increase on gas excise tax
A 20-cent-a-gallon increase in diesel excise tax

Warm conditions will give way to much cooler temperatures Friday through the weekend as low pressure moves into northeast California and western Nevada. A cold front will produce stronger winds from the north on Friday which may result in areas of blowing dust, choppy lakes, and the potential for some fire weather concerns.

On May 1 at around 11:15 p.m., the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office (EDSO) was notified by Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) that they had received a distress call from one of their contracted security officers who said he was in his vehicle in a river.

That officer, 33-year-old Jared Cluff of Sacramento, was near the SMUD Powerhouse on Peavine Ridge Road east of Pollock Pines, but his exact location was unknown.

The last few attempts to have a special El Dorado County Board of Supervisors meeting on vacation home rentals (VHRs) have been met by bad weather and an overcrowded venue. The VHR meeting is now scheduled for Wednesday, May 2 at 6:00 p.m. in the South Tahoe Middle School multi-purpose room.

A revised VHR ordinance is the only item on the agenda.

The Board is looking at eight revisions to the current Ordinance:

1) Restructure the violation and penalty provisions;
2) Clarify the language throughout the Ordinance;
3) Require exterior signage;

Single lane closures on State Route 28 will resume on Monday, April 30 as the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) starts the third year of their shared use path and water quality project with traffic safety improvements near Sand Harbor.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Beautiful weekend in South Lake Tahoe, and more of the same will go into the next few days with some change by the end of the week.

Much warmer temperatures are expected through next week with mainly dry conditions. A wave passing to the north Sunday will bring increased afternoon and evening winds. There is low pressure developing off the California coast will bring increasing chances for showers and a few thunderstorms from mid week into the weekend.

The forecast from the National Weather Service in Reno: