Spring storm heading to Lake Tahoe - snow, rain, wind

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Say it isn't "snow"...a late season winter storm is slatted to bring snow to the Lake Tahoe Basin along with rain and wind starting Saturday. As the week has gone on the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno has increased the chance of precipitation and presence of winds.

Until the storm, it will be fairly quiet with dry weather through Friday, according to NWS Reno. Temperatures will warm to above average by Friday.

The initial wave of the storm moves through the area Saturday. Peak wind gusts to 40-50 mph are expected, and locally stronger in the wind prone locations, at least near and north of Highway 50.

Winds continue into Sunday with the arrival of the main event, and will be focused more near and south of I-80. They look strongest for Mono and Mineral counties where there is a 30 percent chance of some minor wind damage. Peak gusts look to be similar to Saturday at the moment.

NWS Reno says this system has a decent amount of moisture with it. It is also quite cold with snow levels 5500-6000 feet or so. The timing of the system will affect whether Lake Tahoe sees rain or snow. With much of the precipitation likely to fall during the day the strong late April sun is likely to limit accumulation below 6500 feet until evening.

The possibility is still there for 12+ inches of heavy Sierra cement above 7000 feet, but is only about 20 percent or so, said NWS Reno. For lake level and most other locations at the 5500-6000 feet level in California, there is a 40 percent chance of 2 or more inches of snow.

The storm exits Monday with some lingering showers still possible along with temperatures running 10 degrees below average. A short wave ridge builds for the remainder of the forecast period with temperatures warming back to near average.

The five day forecast from NWS-Reno:

Thursday - Sunny, with a high near 62. Light and variable wind becoming west 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.

Thursday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 33. South wind 5 to 15 mph.

Friday - Sunny, with a high near 64. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Friday Night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday - Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. Breezy.

Saturday Night - A slight chance of rain showers before 8pm, then a chance of rain and snow showers between 8pm and 2am, then a chance of snow showers after 2am. Snow level 6900 feet lowering to 6300 feet after midnight . Increasing clouds, with a low around 37. Breezy.

Sunday - Snow showers. Cloudy, with a high near 44.

Sunday Night - Snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.

Monday - Snow showers likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 47.

Monday Night - A slight chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.