Weekend looks calmer after blustery week in Tahoe

By Kathryn Reed

The chance of snow today is not as great as it has been for most of the week — it’s only at 90 percent. Totals should be less than a half foot at the lake.

The best opportunity to see the sun in Lake Tahoe will be Sunday, though Saturday looks pretty good too, according to the National Weather Service. But Sunday night the odds are at 70 percent for snow in the basin.

With all the snow that's fallen in Tahoe, a whole family of snow people could be built. Photo/Kathryn Reed

A couple feet have fallen this week at lake level, though those living in higher locales like Upper Kingsbury Grade and Truckee are reporting even more white stuff has been shoveled.

Mountain passes have been sketchy at different times. On Thursday afternoon some SUVs were driving the speed limit in near whiteout conditions at the top of Spooner Summit.

A Carson City firefighter was let out on the westbound side to cross the barrier to assist passengers in two vehicles headed toward Carson City that were smashed up on the side of the highway.

Roads should be good this weekend as the storms let up.

Bundle up — the low Saturday night might hit single digits. Highs today and Saturday should be in the low 30s, with it a balmy 41 on Monday.

Weather has been the topic of conversation throughout much of California and Nevada.

Acting Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday proclaimed a state of emergency in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Francisco and Siskiyou counties because of the storms that have brought high winds and significant amounts of precipitation. Deaths, injuries, flooding, heavy snow and mudslides are occurring up and down the state.

Flights out of Reno-Tahoe International Airport were delayed Thursday, though the bar was busy making bloody Marys.

Ski resorts in the Tahoe area are giddy about the several feet of snow that have fallen in less than a week. It’s dumped so much that Tahoe is boasting the most snow of any ski region in the country.

Kirkwood Mountain Resort, which usually receives the most snow of all Tahoe are resorts, is claiming 6 feet of snow for the week as of late Thursday. Sierra-at-Tahoe expects to hit the 6-foot mark by the time the skies clear. Heavenly says 3 feet have fallen. Alpine Meadows is saying 6 feet, too.

Northstar-at-Tahoe is having its benefit for the Sierra Avalanche Center on Jan. 24 with a limited number of $40 tickets. Click here for info.

The abundance of white stuff also means the snowpack’s water content could be above normal by the time the sun comes out in the next day or two.