Latest storm exiting Lake Tahoe, next one due Friday night

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Winter weather has arrived in Lake Tahoe! The second of three storm fronts is finishing up Thursday night with the storm warning expiring at 4:00 a.m. Friday. But Mother Nature isn't done yet.

Another Winter Storm Warning goes up for the Lake Tahoe Basin at 1:00 p.m. Friday and will be in effect until 3:00 p.m. Saturday. A break in the weather precipitation will occur Friday morning which will make this the best window of opportunity to travel in the Sierra.

The National Weather Service in Reno is calling for an additional 1 to 3 inches with locally heavier amounts up to 6 inches Thursday night. The next storm will produce an additional 8 to 14 inches of snow late Friday night into Saturday with heaviest snowfall Saturday morning. Since it is a colder storm the snow Saturday will be powderier.

The weekend forecast for lake level:

Tonight - Snow showers, mainly before 4am. Low around 26. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Friday - Scattered snow showers, mainly before 10am, then a chance of snow after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 36. West wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Friday Night - Snow, mainly after 10pm. Low around 23. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Saturday - Snow before 10am, then snow showers, mainly between 10am and 4pm. High near 31. West wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible.

Saturday Night - A 40 percent chance of snow showers, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 14. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Sunday - Mostly sunny, with a high near 33.

Highs will remain in the 30s all week.

There is an avalanche warning in effect for the Lake Tahoe backcountry until 7:00 a.m. Friday. High Avalanche Danger is due to the heavy snowfall and gale force winds impacted the region. Wind slab and storm slab avalanche problems will become very likely today in near treeline and above treeline terrain where previous snow cover existed. Considerable Avalanche danger will exist in below treeline terrain at lower elevations with minimal previous snow cover. Dangerous avalanche conditions will exist today, travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.

Road conditions can change quickly in the Sierra. For up to the minute status on roads in California, visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/. In Nevada, visit https://nvroads.com/. A reminder, on Nevada mountain passes in Tahoe (Mt. Rose, Spooner and Kingsbury) there is no longer a control "chains or snow tires." That roads control has now changed to "Chains or 4WD with Snow Tires."