Slight chance of rain this week in South Lake Tahoe as highs remain in the 80s

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Plan for prolonged periods of poor air quality due to smoke from the Dixie and Caldor fires in the Lake Tahoe Basin and western Nevada until fire activity is greatly diminished.

Smoke will fill portions of the Tahoe Basin and settle into some western Nevada valleys during the overnight and early morning hours. Lighter winds through the weekend may limit smoke dispersion in the afternoons and evenings which would allow smoke to linger in valley locations.

High pressure strengthens over Nevada with increasing temperatures as well. Afternoon and evening breezes, improved smoke dispersion, and chances for thunderstorms return by the middle of the week, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno.

By mid-week, low pressure is forecast to approach the CA/Pacific NW coast and nudge the area of high pressure overhead off to the east. This will be enough to lower afternoon highs a bit, but more importantly allow moist southerly flow to develop. Some afternoon cumulus clouds should develop Wednesday, perhaps a light shower or two. Moisture/instability increase Thursday-Saturday with 15-25% chance for showers and thunderstorms across northeast CA, the Sierra, and western NV Thursday-Saturday. Storms may not
produce much rain initially, but there is potential for heavy rain and debris flow impacts should a storm pass over a recent burn scar.

The weekly South Lake Tahoe forecast from NWS Reno:

Labor Day - Widespread haze. Widespread smoke. Sunny, with a high near 87. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.

Monday Night - Widespread haze. Widespread smoke. Mostly clear, with a low around 43. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light in the evening.

Tuesday - Widespread haze. Widespread smoke, mainly before 11am. Sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night - Widespread haze. Areas of smoke. Mostly clear, with a low around 45. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light in the evening.

Wednesday - Widespread haze. Areas of smoke. Sunny, with a high near 88. Light southwest wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night - Widespread haze. Areas of smoke. Mostly clear, with a low around 49.

Thursday - A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am. Widespread haze. Areas of smoke. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.

Thursday Night - A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Friday - A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.

Friday Night - A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Saturday - A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

Saturday Night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Sunday - Sunny, with a high near 83.