Back-to-back winter storms spark weather advisories and warnings in Tahoe region

Brianna Taylor
·3 min read

Back-to-back winter storms are headed for Northern California this weekend — bringing heavy rainfall, mountain snow, and possible thunderstorms and flooding.

The good news is meteorologists say gloomy weather won’t produce conditions as extreme as the Feb. 4 storm that killed three people and cut power to thousands.

The bad news is the looming conditions may be harsh enough to keep you indoors — and away from Tahoe — during President’s Day weekend.

The National Weather Service predicts heavy mountain snow the weekend of Feb. 17 into early next week.
The National Weather Service predicts heavy mountain snow the weekend of Feb. 17 into early next week.

A winter weather advisory is in effect from 10 a.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Sunday for parts of the Sierra Nevada, including the greater Lake Tahoe area. A winter storm warning goes into effect shortly after, from 4 p.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Wednesday for the same areas.

The National Weather Service also issued a flood watch, in effect from Sunday afternoon to Wednesday morning, for various portions of Northern California including the Sacramento Valley, the Delta, Northern San Joaquin Valley and the foothills.

Here’s what to expect.

First storm to hit Northern California

The first storm, which will pass over the region between Saturday and Sunday, will drop moderate rainfall across the Valley and foothills and snow in the mountains.

Meteorologist Dakari Anderson with the weather service said the first storm isn’t expected to produce extreme conditions.

Storm No. 2 to hit Northern California

The second storm will be more aggressive.

According to the weather service, the second system will kick off late Sunday evening through at least Wednesday.

Elevations above 5,500 feet are forecast at 1 to 2 feet of snow starting Sunday through Wednesday; above 7,000 feet is forecast at 3 to 4 feet.

The brunt of the storm will occur on Monday, with the heaviest amounts of rain and snow expected across the area.

Anderson said an additional 1.5 to 2 inches of rain could fall across the Sacramento region.

Another 2 to 3 inches are expected in the foothills, including portions of Redding. The lowest amounts — up to 1.5 inches — are forecast for the northern San Joaquin Valley.

Wind gusts are forecast to whip between 20 and 30 mph on Saturday throughout the Valley, with speeds increasing on Monday.

Anderson said gusts as high as 55 mph are expected across the mountains.

How much snow has fallen at Tahoe ski resorts?

The UC Berkeley Snow Lab, located at Donner Pass, received another 13 inches of snow during the last storm from Wednesday into Thursday morning.

“We are now at 85% of median snowfall and 83% of median snow water equivalent to date,” the laboratory posted Thursday on x, formally known as Twitter.

Here’s how much snow has fallen in Tahoe so far this season across ski resorts, as of Friday, according to their websites:

What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.