Heavy snow for the Sierras today

It's going to be a white Christmas in Lake Tahoe, with heavy snow expected throughout the day Thursday, leaving an expected extra foot of snow at lake level by Friday morning.

If you are traveling you can expect road controls from chains or snow tire requirements to chains or 4WD with snow tires.

As of 9 a.m. Thursday chain controls were up on Highway 50 at the 3,000 foot level near Camino, all the way to South Lake Tahoe. They require all cars to have chains on unless 4WD with snow tires. On Highway 80, the same chains controls start above Auburn near Weimar and remain to the Nevada state line.

Highway 89 is closed around Emerald Bay.

Chains or snow tires are required on Highway 50 over Spooner Summit, Kingsbury Grade, Highway 395 and 580 in Nevada.

Both the South Lake Tahoe Police Department and California Highway Patrol are expecting much of what they dealt with on Monday, spin-outs, collisions and stuck cars on the roadway. In the South Lake Tahoe area alone, the CHP responded to five traffic collisions, 12 disabled motorist calls and 16 traffic hazards. Ruth Loehr of the local CHP office said there were many other vehicle situations that weren't reported.

"In storms like this there are simply not enough resources," said Loehr. "Not enough tows, not enough patrol vehicles, not enough snow plows."

SLT Police Lt. David Stevenson said they responded to seven disabled car calls Monday. With the slushy conditions it wasn't as bad as experienced at slightly higher elevations.

"Pay attention, be careful, and slow down," he asked of drivers in the area when it is snowing.

A winter storm warning remains in affect in South Lake Tahoe until 10 p.m. Thursday.

Thursday's forecast: Snow showers. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 25. Breezy, with a southwest wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 5 to 9 inches possible.

Tonight: Snow showers, mainly before 10pm. Low around 11. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE:
WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING.

* TIMING: SNOW AND SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE TAHOE
BASIN TODAY...WITH PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL AT
TIMES. THE PEAK SNOWFALL IMPACTS TO TRAVEL ARE EXPECTED FROM
THROUGH 4 PM.

* TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH THIS EVENING: 10 TO 20 INCHES
ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 89...INCLUDING ALONG THE SIERRA CREST
AND HIGHWAY PASSES. 6 TO 12 INCHES IN THE TRUCKEE AND TAHOE
BASIN AREAS. WITH HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS...SNOW AMOUNTS WILL VARY
CONSIDERABLY EVEN OVER SHORT DISTANCES.

* WINDS: SOUTHWEST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH. GUSTS
BETWEEN TO 80 MPH ARE POSSIBLE OVER EXPOSED HIGHER RIDGES.

* IMPACTS: SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW DUE TO WINDS WILL CREATE PERIODS OF
NEAR WHITE OUT CONDITIONS ALONG WITH ICY ROADS. TRAVEL WILL BE
IMPACTED WITH DELAYS AND CHAIN CONTROLS LIKELY ON ALL AREA
ROADS. THE POSSIBILITY OF AVALANCHES WILL INCREASE...ESPECIALLY
IN THE BACK COUNTRY.