Strong winds and heavy snow are expected this week in the Truckee-Tahoe area.

The National Weather Service office in Reno issued a winter weather advisory for a storm headed to the basin Monday night into Tuesday, and a winter storm watch for later in the week that will bring heavier snow.

The storm hitting the region Monday night is expected to bring 2 to 4 inches of snow, according to the weather service, with 6 to 10 inches possible at pass level. The accompanying wind will gust as high as 55 mph and 100 mph over Sierra crest ridges.

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The winter advisory goes into effect at 7 p.m. and lasts until 10 a.m. tomorrow.

A winter storm watch will go into effect late Wednesday night through Thursday evening, and could make travel difficult to impossible over mountain passes.

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The weather service is forecasting 10 to 14 inches of snow for the Truckee-Tahoe area and 18 to 24 inches on mountain passes. Winds again will reach up to 50 mph.

High temps this week in Truckee are forecast to hover in the 30s with lows in the 20s and teens.

Waves on the lake could reach up to 5 feet, resulting in a lake wind advisory today and tomorrow.

The combination of wind and snow could damage trees and cause power outages.

If traveling is a must, prepare an emergency kit that includes extra food, water, tire chains and clothing.

The latest road conditions are available by calling 511 or at http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/.

The extended forecast for the Martin Luther King holiday weekend shows a slight chance of snow for Saturday, but mostly clear with highs in the 40s.