SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – With a weather forecast for the Sierra Nevada that changed almost hourly this week, people didn’t know what to expect at Lake Tahoe on Christmas Eve.
We can now tell you, the forecast for snow, heavy at times, held true, and expect more snow through Christmas Day and into Friday.
US 50 has had chain controls in place for the day, and the western end has now lowered to Fred’s Place near Kyburz. At times, the highway had to close as there were multiple spinouts as the storm hit the Sierra.
As of 3:15 p.m. 12/24, there are still spinouts and stranded vehicles that went through chain controls without chains on. Earlier in the day, the California Highway Patrol responded to a call where numerous cars were pulled over on the side of the road near Twin Bridges so the occupants could play in the snow, but they blocked traffic and prevented others from proceeding on the road.
Traffic is currently being held on I80, and all other roads have chain controls in place.
For current road controls in California, visit https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/, in Nevada, visit https://www.nvroads.com/.
Snow is in the forecast through Friday. For the rest of Wednesday, 1-3″ more is expected, with 8-17″ on Christmas Day, and another inch on Friday.
Clockwise from upper left: US50 at Echo Summit, US50 at Twin Bridges, US50 at Cave Rock, and I80 at Donner Summit:
