Pattern Changed, Now Comes the Big Storms

Pretty much everybody has noticed that we went from stable high pressure to very unstable low pressure with 40 mph straight line winds and gusts exceeding 80 in the leeward foothills. Sitting just offshore is the first of several large and very wet storms poised to bury the Tahoe area.

The first storm is literally just moving in now (16:00 - Sunday):

This storm is going to stall out and bring heavy snow above 7,000 feet. We believe this will be all snow for Mt. Rose at all elevations.

This will last through tomorrow late afternoon. Then we will get a slight break in the weather before a much larger storm pounds Tahoe starting late Tuesday night and lasting through the 26th.

The heaviest snow will be Christmas day and could drop all the way to the valley floor. Suffice it to say this will be all snow for all Tahoe ski areas.

By the time it tappers off we are looking at around 4-8 feet of snow for the Carson Range. Some areas west of Lake Tahoe could see double that amount. This is far less than what the models were predicting earlier, but should make a significant difference in jump starting the ski season.

Looking ahead, high pressure will move in but only temporarily. We are looking at the possibility of a large cold front moving down from the north and bringing some snow with it. Shortly following that a larger storm could be in store.

Stay Tuned ...