Winter Weather Advisory forecast for the Lake Tahoe Basin

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - An incoming storm has been upgraded to a Winter Weather Advisory which is in effect for the Lake Tahoe Basin and Mono County from 4:00 a.m. Monday to 4:00 a.m. Tuesday. The rest of the storms forecast for the area have weakened though, with snowfall amounts greatly reduced.

A series of storms will affect the region starting Saturday night and going through next week. Overall potential impacts have trended lower that previously forecast, except for Monday which will feature strong winds and heavy mountain snows.

Tonight and early Sunday morning will see light snow showers from the Lake Tahoe region up into Northeast California. Snowfall should mainly be a dusting. However an inch of so of accumulation is possible for Sierra passes including Donner, Mt. Rose, Echo, Cedar, and Fredonyer which will result in slick roads according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno.

The most intense storm in the series is expected Monday with a round of strong and possibly damaging winds for most areas, with heavy wet snows for the Sierra.

Significant travel delays and chain controls should be expected into Monday evening. Rain showers are forecast for the Western Nevada cities with amounts from a tenth to a quarter of an inch.

The next storms, Wednesday into early Thursday with another Friday, have trended weaker but could still bring a round of gusty winds and Sierra snow impacts with light rain showers for Western Nevada. Confidence remains low with these storms so additional fluctuations in impact potentials are likely, both up and down.

The Sunday-Monday forecast from NWS Reno for South Lake Tahoe:

Tonight - A chance of rain and snow between 7pm and 1am, then a chance of snow after 1am. Snow level 6400 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. Southwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Sunday - Partly sunny, with a high near 45. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Sunday Night - Snow likely after 4am. Snow level 6600 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Monday - Rain and snow likely before 10am, then rain between 10am and 4pm, then rain, possibly mixed with snow after 4pm. Snow level 6600 feet. High near 43. Breezy, with a southwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Monday Night - Snow likely, mainly before 10pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 18. Breezy, with a southwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.