Bone-chilling cold to envelop Lake Tahoe

By Kathryn Reed

Record-breaking cold weather is about to descend upon the greater Lake Tahoe area.

“Today is probably the last nice day. By tomorrow we are looking at a 32-degree drop for Reno and a 25, 26 drop for South Lake. That is for the high, so the low will tank as well,” Edan Lindaman, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno, told Lake Tahoe News.

Icy cold is the forecast this week in Tahoe. Photo/LTN file

The record low for South Lake Tahoe on Dec. 4 is minus 2 degrees. It was set in 2001. The forecast now is for the low temp that day to be 2 degrees.

Truckee is more likely to break a record for Dec. 5, according to Lindaman. The record for that day is negative 7, which was recorded in 1972. And that is the same low temperature that is forecast for Thursday.

“It will all depend if we have snowfall on the ground. If we have 2, 3 inches of snow, it will be that much colder,” Lindaman explained.

The snow is expected to come late tonight and continue through Tuesday evening. By the time the storm blows through it’s possible a half foot will have fallen in the basin. Reno and Carson are also expected to get measurable snow.

A lake wind advisory is in effect through 1am Tuesday.

Highs through the week are not expected to reach freezing.

The good news is this means more snow for the ski resorts and the likelihood of more terrain opening.