YOUR AD HERE »

Lake Tahoe weather: 2 feet of fresh powder greets skiers Friday morning

Kevin MacMillan
kmacmillan@sierrasun.com
Conditions were prime at Northstar on Friday morning after the Truckee-Tahoe region received roughly 2 feet of snow from last week's storm.
Courtesy Vail Resorts |

MORE ONLINE

Click here to see the Sierra Sun’s snowfall tracker, with updated totals at most Truckee-Tahoe ski resorts.

TRUCKEE, Calif. — Mother Nature delivered the goods on Thursday, bringing 1 to 2 feet of snow to the Tahoe-Truckee region by way of a mid-December winter storm.

Thursday’s storm blanketed the region in fresh powder. About 1 foot of snow was at ground level in Truckee Friday morning, with closer to 18 inches at higher elevations, like in the Tahoe Donner subdivision.

At Lake Tahoe, it was nearly the same deal — anywhere from 6 to 12 inches fell at lake level, with more at higher elevation areas, especially along the West Shore in Tahoma and Meeks Bay.



Up top, as much as 2 feet was recorded at various Tahoe-area ski resort summits, with likely closer to 2 and a half feet along the Sierra crest.

The storm surely delivered, although not to the extent that the National Weather Service had initially thought when it forecast that “several feet of snow” was possible.



Here’s a quick look at snow totals recorded at various Tahoe-Truckee ski resorts as of 8 a.m. Friday, according to the resorts’ snow trackers:

Northstar California: 24 inches

Heavenly: 24 inches

Kirkwood: 24 inches

Sugar Bowl: 21 inches

Mt. Rose: 20 inches

Squaw Valley: 18 inches

Alpine Meadows: 14 inches

Diamond Peak: 14 inches

Homewood: 12 inches

Driving conditions as of Friday morning were slow, but the plows along most major highways had cleared drivable paths. Snow tire and chain restrictions will likely remain in effect Friday morning.

More snow is on the way as well, according to NWS. Aside from off and on flurries and showers Friday and Saturday, a smaller storm is expected to hit the region Sunday, potentially bringing another foot or more of snow.

Follow SierraSun.com all winter long on Facebook for weather and snow updates.


Support Local Journalism

 

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and beyond make the Sierra Sun's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.