Strong winds and snowfall likely around Lake Tahoe this weekend; Fire weather concerns with wind

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The month of February has been a fairly dry one but it may end with snow in the Lake Tahoe basin this coming weekend. After unseasonable warmth the past few days, expect a sharp change in the weather Saturday evening into Sunday as a powerful cold front sweeps across the Sierra and northern Nevada.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno has issued a Lake Wind Advisory from 7 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, February 29. Winds will be from the southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph expected. Waves are expected to be 3 to 4 feet with the highest waves on the east and north parts of the lake.

Snowfall will be concentrated in a band along the cold front with a quick 2-4 hour period of snow possible. Start time as early as Saturday afternoon north of Lake Tahoe and Reno, with the best potential across western Nevada and Sierra Saturday night through Sunday morning.

Western Nevada valleys could see 1-2 inches. For the Sierra, 2-5 inches for valleys such as around Truckee and Tahoe, with 4-8 inches for the crest and near Mammoth Lakes.

Since it has been so dry, the recent lack of precipitation and unseasonable warmth may result in some heightened fire weather concerns ahead of the cold front on Saturday, according to NWS.

The weekend forecast from NWS Reno:

Friday - Partly sunny, with a high near 57. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday - A 30 percent chance of snow showers after 4:00 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Saturday Night - Snow showers likely, mainly after 10:00 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Sunday - Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Sunday Night - Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 13. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.