Avalanche warning issued for Tahoe area. Here’s when — and how much snow to expect next
The Sierra Avalanche Center issued an avalanche warning Monday morning for the central Sierra Nevada mountains, including the Lake Tahoe region.
The avalanche warning, which went into effect at 7 a.m. Monday, will remain in place until 7 a.m. Tuesday.
“Heavy new snow and strong winds will produce large dangerous avalanches today,” the center announced Monday in its daily avalanche forecast.
While avalanches can occur at any elevation due to layers of snow, the center warned that people could trigger an avalanche when traveling below or near a slope.
The center’s forecast put Monday’s avalanche danger at a four, or, “high,” in backcountry areas, according to the North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale, which ranks avalanche risks on a scale of one to five.
“During periods of high danger, avalanche conditions are very dangerous and travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended,” avalanche forecast site Avalanche.org said. “Natural avalanches are likely and human-triggered avalanches are very likely.”
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory in effect from Monday to 1 a.m. Tuesday for the greater Lake Tahoe region, including the cities of Markleeville, South Lake Tahoe, Glenbrook, Truckee and Tahoe City in California, as well as Incline Village, and Stateline in Nevada.
Residents can expect about 8 to 14 inches of snow accumulation above 7,000 feet, and 3 to 8 inches of snow between 6,500 and 7,000 feet, according to the advisory.
Areas below 6,500 feet could see 1 to 3 inches of snow accumulation, the weather agency said.
How much snow fell in Tahoe this weekend?
Tahoe received more than 16 inches of snow this past weekend — and more is yet to come.
According to the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Laboratory, a research field station located at Donner Pass, the Sierra Nevada, including the Tahoe area, received a total of 16.7 inches within the past two days.
“Snow showers are occurring and we will see more today,” the laboratory announced Monday on X, formerly called Twitter.
We have received 9.1" (23 cm) of #snow in the last 24 hours, which brings our 2-day total to 16.7" (42.5 cm). Snow showers are occurring and we will see more today.
We now have 60% of our average snow water equivalent to-date. Another storm is possible mid-week.#CAwx #CAwater pic.twitter.com/h6kNkaExW2— UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab (@UCB_CSSL) January 22, 2024
What are this season’s snow totals?
As of Monday, here’s how much snow has fallen so far this season at Tahoe’s ski and snowboarding resorts, according to their websites:
Sugar Bowl Ski Resort: 113 to 151 inches of snow
Kirkwood Mountain Resort: 109 inches
Heavenly Mountain Resort: 68 inches
Palisades Tahoe: 121 inches
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe: 89 to 123 inches
Northstar California Resort: 101 inches
What’s in the weather forecast for Tahoe?
According to the National Weather Service’s forecast for the Tahoe region, rain and snow are expected to last until Thursday.
On Monday, the weather service predicts a 60% chance of rain and snow before 10 p.m. Less than half an inch of snow accumulation is expected.
The high temperature on Monday will be near 39 degrees and the low temperature will be around 22, the agency said.
Tuesday will have mostly sunny skies, with a high near 41 and a low around 20.
There’s a 90% chance of rain and snow, the weather service said, adding that little to no snow accumulation is expected throughout the day. The high will be near 42 and the low around 22.
On Thursday, the forecast shows a 20% chance of snow before 10 a.m. Skies will be mostly sunny, and temperatures will have a high near 42 and a low around 18.
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