Wow,  were going into record snowfall territory now.  As you know, you can always get real time updates by clicking to my weather web-cam stationed at Incline Ski Beach.  Tim Lampe, Incline Village Real Estate Source for 29 Years running.

http://lamperealestate.com.realproserver.com/Incline-Village-Ski-Beach-Webcam

March 24, 2011      

It's going to be another snowy weekend in Tahoe.

Two more storms are about to slam into the Sierra, and combined they could dump another two to three feet of snow at 7000 feet, with even more on the highest peaks around the region.

The first system is moving in this morning. It is forecast to drop two inches of liquid equivalent precipitation on Tahoe's peaks today and Friday. With snow to water ratios of about 15 to 1 at 7000 feet, we should see at least two feet of new snow by Friday morning. This storm is expected to peak this afternoon and evening with snowfall rates of 2 inches to 3 inches per hour for several hours. When that heavy snowfall combines with the high winds forecast for the same period -- gusts of 100 mph are possible -- white-out conditions are likely to result. We would not be surprised to see Interstate 80 and Highway 50 close down for several hours tonight.

Snow levels should drop to below 4000 feet overnight, perhaps as low as 2000 feet in some areas. But the intensity of the snowfall will lighten overnight, tapering to showers by Friday afternoon.

After a brief lull -- and those showers might continue right through it -- a second storm is due by Saturday morning. This system will not be as strong as Thursday's storm, but it will still be wet enough to deposit another foot or so of new snow at 7000 feet. Snow should taper to showers Saturday night, with a few scattered showers lingering into Sunday.

Yet another storm is possible Sunday afternoon, but the jet stream is trending north and by then that storm may deliver little more than a glancing blow on Tahoe. Certainly compared to what we have seen of late the Sunday storm will seem like a bli if it arrives at all.

Either way, we should begin to see a ridge of high pressure building early next week that will allow us to to dry out and dig out. By Wednesday we should be the beginning of a warming trend that will feel very much like Spring.

But in the meantime brace yourselves for a big one today and tonight.

Temperature forecasts:

Tahoe City:

Thursday 29
Friday 31
Saturday 38
Sunday 40

At 7000 feet:

Thursday 27
Friday 25
Saturday 29
Sunday 36


Tahoe Outdoors: Events

Join the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the Tahoe Rim Trail Association for two special screenings of National Geographic's "America's Wild Spaces" featuring the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. The two screenings will be 6:30 pm Sunday March 27 at Ceol Pub in Reno, 538 Virginia Street; and at 6 pm Thursday March 31 at Explore Tahoe: An Urban Trailhead Visitor Center, 4114 Lake Tahoe Blvd in South Lake Tahoe. For more information see the TRTA web site here.


MONTHLY WEATHER ALMANAC FOR MARCH

   
TRUCKEE  
High:  48 on March 9
Low: 1 on March 1
Average temp: 30.7
Departure from norm: -4.6
Precipitation: 6.70 inches
Normal precip for the entire month: 4.43
Percent of normal for the month: 151 percent
Total snowfall: 41.1 inches

 
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
High: 54 on March 9
Low: 8 on March 1
Average temp: 33.5
Departure from norm: +0.1
Precipitation (water content): 5.63
Normal precip for the month: 4.06 inches
Percent of normal for the entire month: 139 percent
Total snowfall: 41.9 inches