conditions

Good morning Lake Tahoe skiers and riders! If you are visiting, welcome to Lake Tahoe.

SHAPING UP TO BE A GREAT HUMP DAY FOR EARLY SEASON TURNS. COLD TEMPS ARE ALLOWING RESORTS TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SNOW AND OPEN MORE LIFTS AND RUNS. SQUAW OPENS UPPER MOUNTAIN FOR TOP TO BOTTOM SKIING, MT ROSE IS OPEN TOP TO BOTTOM, SUGAR BOWL OFFERS TOP TO BOTTOM, HEAVENLY HAS UPPER NV DIPPER EXPRESS TURNING… SKI & RIDE WITH CARE!

South Tahoe Now and Curtis Fong of BikeandSkiLakeTahoe.com have teamed up together this winter to provide daily ski and weather reports to help you plan your day on the slopes.

GOOD MORNING LAKE TAHOE SKIERS & RIDERS… IF YOU ARE VISITING, WELCOME TO LAKE TAHOE!

SHAPING UP TO BE A GREAT DAY FOR EARLY SEASON TURNS. 1-2” FRESH SNOW OVERNIGHT WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW THIS MORNING… WINDS MAY IMPACT OPERATION OF UPPER MOUNTAIN LIFTS. SKI & RIDE WITH CARE!

Nevada's Department of Transportation, Highway Patrol, City of South Lake Tahoe and Caltrans all had words of advice for travelers this holiday weekend. Roads will be full of cars, and the added threat of high winds and a snow storm will create issues for those not prepared on the road.

Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort announced today that they will be opening for the season on Saturday, November 26. There are early season condition on limited terrain with two chairlifts and two surface lifts in operation. Sierra will spin Easy Rider Express and Rock Garden with access to Broadway and Echo beginner trails. There will be a terrain park with small to medium features, allowing guests to get their park legs back underneath them. For now, their hours of operations are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Douglas County Parks and Recreation Department is celebrating the new additions at Johnson Lane Park and the public invited to a dedication of the facilities on December 1, 2016 at 10:30 a.m.

Construction on the new additions began over a year ago and was completed this Fall on new tennis and pickle ball courts, pavers, playground, pavilion and restroom building.

The park is located at 1476 Stephanie Way in Minden, Nev.

One would think a car filled, bumper-to-bumper highway would be the most dangerous place for drivers to be during the holiday season, but no, crowded parking lots lead the list.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) has warned there are increased hazards of parking lot traffic during the holidays. Nationwide there are over 50,000 accidents in parking lots and garages resulting in 60,000 injuries and over 500 deaths. In fact. almost 20 percent of all accidents involving vehicles taking place where most might think driving 5 mph or less would lead to safer conditions.

As we start a busy week of travel, three different storms headed to the Lake Tahoe Basin may impact driving conditions. People are driving, flying or taking a train to their Thanksgiving destinations and AAA expects more than 40 million people will drive 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving, the most since 2007.

Some of those travelers are headed to Lake Tahoe though hotel rooms and vacation rentals are still available.

It doesn’t take a wildland fire professional to see how fuel reduction can protect forests and communities.

It just takes a field trip to the site of the Emerald fire near the southwestern shores of Lake Tahoe.

Despite burning at the same time and under similar conditions to the disastrous Little Valley fire, the Emerald fire was much less destructive.

Expect a windy and snowy weekend in South Lake Tahoe! Ski resorts on the South Shore had to postpone opening days, so maybe Mother Nature will be helping them out!

There is a wind advisory in place for South Lake Tahoe in advance of the winter storm headed our way. Expect winds 15-25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph overnight Friday, increasing Saturday to 20-30 mph and gusts to 55 mph. Ridgetop winds could gust up to 110 mph. Waves on the lake are expected to be 2-5' with the highest on the north and east shore.

The winds subside slightly as a winter storm moves in.

A strong, but quick, cold front is headed to Lake Tahoe on Tuesday bringing with it high winds and some snow before it heads out Wednesday evening.

The National Weather Service has issued a lake wind advisory from 10:00 a.m. Tuesday through 4:00 a.m. Wednesday. Winds will be increasing during the day Tuesday, with wind gusts growing from 15 to 25 mph in the morning to gusts of 45 mph by late in the afternoon afternoon and peaking to 50 mph as the storm enters the basin.

1:30 pm update 11/15/26 - Many of the Lake Tahoe area ski resorts updated their opening dates today. Heavenly and Northstar will now open on Wednesday, November 23, Kirkwood and Sierra-at-Tahoe dates have yet to be determined.

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The lower elevations around Lake Tahoe have seen some snow over the past month, but nothing that stayed longer than a few hours, but the scene up on the slopes is much different.

All candidates for South Lake Tahoe City Council were given the same questions. With just one day to go to the elections, we will be featuring their answers and a video of their interview with Tahoe Regional Young Professionals through the day.

Ted Long, 77, attorney and lecturer, 21 years full time skiing here since 1965.

Discuss your interest in serving on City Council. What is your prior experience in working with civic, community or governmental organizations

NOTE: Due to the Veteran’s Day holiday on Friday, November 11, most lane closures will not be allowed from 6L00 a.m. Thursday, November 10 until 8:00 p.m. Sunday, November 13.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

Prescribed burning on urban lots around the South Shore resumed Tuesday, and will continue through the Fall as conditions remain favorable.

Urban lots near Heavenly Mountain Resort and off of South Upper Truckee Road near Highway 89 in Christmas Valley are on the list for fire operations.

To view a map with the project location and details, visit the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) website at http://www.tahoefft.org.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS- State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to just north of Granlibakken Road in Tahoe City that is upgrading storm water drainage and treatment systems, adding curb and gutter, resurfacing and realigning the road, adding new left-turn pockets and widening shoulders on an 8-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in summer 2017. October 31-November 4 - State Route 89 (Placer County) from Oak Street to Cherry Street and from St.

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors have unanimously voted in favor of a resolution opposing the passage of California Proposition 64 which would legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 and over in the state.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to just north of Granlibakken Road in Tahoe City that is upgrading storm water drainage and treatment systems, adding curb and gutter, resurfacing and realigning the road, adding new left-turn pockets and widening shoulders on an 8-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in summer 2017.

Poor weather has hampered the search for a pilot and his Cessna, missing since Saturday when they were expected at a Jackson, Calif., airport. The unnamed pilot was flying from Idaho.

Aircraft from CHP and Civil Air Patrol being used for a low level visual search are unable to do so as they've been unable to a visual on the ground. Search and rescue teams from El Dorado County Sheriff's Office are actively searching for the plane and pilot on the ground. Radar analysis and air forensics teams are still able to assist the ground search.

5:00 p.m. update: According to the Acorn News in Jackson, Calif., the missing Cessna 182 is normally hangared in Amador County. Authorities Continuing Search for Missing Cessna 182. They said the plane was expected at Westover Field on Saturday.

The pilot left Idaho, headed to Jackson during a storm in the Sierra. Many pilots will take a southern route to Westover Field, which takes a plane between Highway 50 and 88. It is unknown at this time which route was taken.

Weather conditions continue to prevent search operations.

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8:00AM update 10/15: Highway 89 remains closed in both directions from Fallen Leaf Lake Road to Emerald Bay due to the Emerald Fire which remains 80 percent contained this morning. Acreage burned is 210 acres.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

There are 3 engines and 12 firefighters still on the scene.

Opening time for Hwy 89 is still unclear. CHP estimates Saturday afternoon and Caltrans estimates the road will be closed until Monday. This is to allow crews to clean up the fallen trees and other debris on, and near, the roadway.

The following is a list of roadwork projects in the Sierra around Lake Tahoe for the next week. Please note, unexpected schedule changes may occur.

For current information on roadwork, delays, road conditions and emergency closures, call the voice-activated Caltrans Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-427-7623 (ROAD) or visit Caltrans’ “QuickMap” website at: http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

When heading west from Lake Tahoe Sunday, expect heavy traffic around Apple Hill due to seasonal enthusiasts.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

Homeowners in the Lake Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) area are encouraged to take advantage of their free curbside chipping service through the month of October.

The chipping crew is still actively responding to requests and will be available through the month as long as conditions permit.

All lanes of US 50 through the Cave Rock tunnel are now open to traffic, almost a month ahead of schedule on the $6 million traveler safety and roadside water quality project.

Since May, drivers have had to utilize a single lane of traffic in each direction through one side of the tunnel.

The contractor, Q&D Construction, will earn an extra $300,000 for completing early. Their contract gave them $15,000 for each day prior to the deadline they completed early, with a maximum of $300,000, which they earned.

5:15 p.m. update: Weather is helping fire fighters on the fire burning south of Gardnerville.

Recommended evacuations have been lifted and residents can return to their homes in the Ruhenstroth area. The area on the west side of Highway 395, including Stone’s Throw, Frontage Road and the Riverview Mobile Home Park remain closed to the residents.

Highway 395 north and southbound will be opening soon, single lane only with a pilot vehicle.

“The conditions are improving due the light rain, decrease in the winds and cooler temperatures,” said Deputy Chief Dave Fogerson.

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