Lake Tahoe and snow base keep rising

Motorists are now able to get over most mountain passes in the Lake Tahoe area.

Earlier this morning a slide closed Highway 50 over Echo Summit. Caltrans has cleared it. Highways were a mess last night, with most of them closed at times. It was taking motorists double their normal drive time and then some to get to their destinations.

Highway 89 around Emerald Bay is closed.

Crews were out doing avalanche control, as the booms resonated through neighborhoods. This was to make the roads safe.

The Sierra Avalanche Center is saying the danger level for Dec. 22 is “considerable”. This is for below, at and above tree line.

The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a flood warning until 4pm Tuesday for the burn areas including the King Fire that scarred the forest near Pollock Pines. The warning also includes the Rim, Butte and American fire locations.

The good news about the rain at lower elevations is that Lake Tahoe has risen 1.92 inches in the last storm, according to the National Weather Service. The agency said 4.3 billion gallons of water fell in to the lake in a 30-hour period.

Most of the ski resorts are reporting 10 inches or more of snow. Sierra-at-Tahoe and Tahoe City Cross Country closed on Tuesday to dig out.

More snow is in the forecast for the rest of the week, with 100 percent chance on Thursday.

For current road conditions, click on the state icons on the home page of Lake Tahoe News.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report