Winter Storm Warning for Lake Tahoe: 2+ Feet of Snow Forecasted Above 8,000′

Ok, we can get excited now.  NOAA has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Lake Tahoe, CA.

They’re forecasting 4-8″ of snow at lake level, 12-20″ of snow at 7,000 feet, and 2+ feet of snow above 8,000-feet.  This will be the first significant storm since December 7th, 2013.

Lets not forget that we don’t have much of a base in Tahoe.  Lets all be smart about where we ski and how hard we ski with this storm.

WINTER STORM WARNING for TAHOE:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
330 AM PST WED JAN 29 2014

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 AM
PST FRIDAY...

* TIMING: MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS AND HIGH ELEVATION SNOW WILL
  DEVELOP IN THE NORTHERN SIERRA THIS AFTERNOON, CHANGING OVER TO
  SNOW EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: NEAR TWO FEET ABOVE 8000 FEET...ONE FOOT OR
  MORE ABOVE 7000 FEET...AND AROUND 6 INCHES AT LAKE TAHOE LEVEL.
  SNOW FORECASTS BELOW 7000 FEET ARE LOWER CONFIDENCE DUE TO
  UNCERTAINTIES WITH WHEN SNOW LEVELS DROP THURSDAY MORNING.

* SNOW LEVELS: 8000-9000 FEET TODAY, DROPPING TO 7000 FEET AROUND
  MIDNIGHT TONIGHT, AND TO LAKE TAHOE LEVEL AROUND DAYBREAK
  THURSDAY MORNING.

* WINDS: SOUTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH. GUSTS
  ON THE SIERRA RIDGES TO 70 MPH TONIGHT.

* IMPACTS: TRAVEL OVER THE SIERRA AND AROUND LAKE TAHOE IS LIKELY
  TO BE IMPACTED BY PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW LATE TONIGHT AND ALL DAY
  THURSDAY. EXPECT DELAYS...AND CONSIDER PLANNING ALTERNATE ROUTES
  OR ADJUST TRAVEL TIMES TO AVOID THE HEAVY SNOW. I-80 OVER DONNER
  PASS AND HIGHWAY 50 OVER ECHO PASS WILL BE IMPACTED.