Richard Durr of Alpine Chimney Sweep gets a fireplace ready to go in anticipation of winter temps arriving this week.

By Kathryn Reed

Bundle up because Mother Nature is turning the sweat beads of last weekend into icicles.

Record highs dropped throughout the region on Saturday and Sunday. Record lows could be broken later this week.

A cold front is moving into the Lake Tahoe region today. A wind advisory is in effect on the lake until 8 tonight.

“It could be hazardous driving in the higher elevations,” meteorologist Brian O’Hara with the National Weather Service in Reno said of the north, northwest winds.

A dusting of snow is expected in the 8,000 to 9,000 foot levels.

“We may see some flurries at lake level, but nothing sticking because the ground is pretty warm,” O’Hara said.

Warm is an understatement after a weekend of hot.

South Lake Tahoe broke records on Saturday and Sunday that had been set in 2003. Saturday’s high of 85 was 3 degrees above the old record, while Sunday’s high of 85 was 4 degrees above the previous record.

Other record highs from Saturday:

Markleeville – high 90, had been 89 set in 2003;

Truckee – high 86, tied with 1999;

Reno – high 93, had been 91 set in 1963;

Virginia City – high 85, had been 83 set in 1999.

Record highs from Sunday:

Markleeville – high of 91, had been 87 set in 1933;

Reno – high of 93, had been 92 set in 2003;

Virginia City – 83, had been 82 set in 2003.

Record low temps could be broken in Truckee and South Lake Tahoe this week. O’Hara says Friday morning is the best bet to do so. On Oct. 2, 1950, Truckee hit a low of 20 degrees. On that same day in 1977, South Lake Tahoe recorded a low of 24 degrees.

The forecast is for the mercury to be darn close to those below freezing temps for the next few mornings.

O’Hara said by the weekend the weather should be close to normal – highs in the 60s around the lake.

The weather guy said this hot to frigid weather is all because a strong high pressure system had been sitting over the area for a while and now the cold front is blowing in.