Mother Nature’s March madness

By Kathryn Reed

Snow is continuing to fall this morning in the Lake Tahoe Basin. A winter weather advisory is in effect until 1pm today. A half inch has fallen between 6:30-7am on the South Shore.

“We won’t see warm weather return for a little while,” Brian O’Hara, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno, told Lake Tahoe News this morning.

He said it could be a couple weeks before Tahoe starts to see spring again.

Hot tubs are going to be needed after all the shoveling. Photo/Kathryn Reed

On the South Shore at lake level about 9 inches have fallen in the last 24 hours. Reno recorded a trace.

Higher elevations – this includes the ski resorts – are reporting more than a foot of the white stuff. This means winter ski conditions have returned and the stop-and-go ice-slush that was on the slopes last weekend had been covered up.

Winds won’t be a problem like they were on Tuesday. Just after midnight, though, some gusts of 40mph were being reported.

Chain controls are up around most roads leading into and out of the basin. On Tuesday Kingsbury Grade was like an ice rink with bumper cars as vehicles kept spinning out and running into each other. Highway 89 around Emerald Bay is closed this morning because of avalanche danger.

Assemblyman Ted Gaines reported seeing an SUV flipped over on Highway 50 on his way to Tahoe Tuesday afternoon.

The Sierra Avalanche Center’s rating is “considerable” – meaning expert evaluation skills are needed.

For those flying out of Reno-Tahoe International Airport, call ahead because flights were delayed on Tuesday.

Unsettled weather will be here for the next several days. Another system will move through the Lake Tahoe area, bringing a chance of showers on Thursday and Friday. A high pressure will build a little before the following storm comes Sunday night.

Bundle up because the high today is expected to be 33 degrees, 36 on Thursday and in the low 40s for Easter weekend.