Winter is holding out as long as it can. Even though the calendar says spring will arrive Sunday, don’t count on it – at least not in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a winter storm watch from Friday afternoon through late that evening in Tahoe.

Perhaps people prayed too hard for snow when the Fallen Leaf Lake chapel was open. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Snow could be coming down at a rate of more than 2 inches an hour.

The Weather Service is calling for accumulations of 6 to 12 inches for Northeast California, mainly west of Highway 395 and in the basin below 7,000 feet.

For spots above 7,000 feet, which includes the passes, up to 1.5 feet could fall.

Fifteen to 25 mph sustained winds could be associated with this storm, with gusts up to 45 mph. Ridge gusts may hit 75 mph in the Sierra. This all is a recipe for whiteout conditions.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report