I know that route. It is worth considering. I love Tahoe. I’ll make that call Mon morning. Thanks!
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV 408 PM PST THU DEC 16 2010 ...PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS THIS WEEKEND... .LOW PRESSURE OVER THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC WILL PUSH ABUNDANT MOISTURE INTO THE SIERRA THIS WEEKEND. SNOW LEVELS WILL BE VARIABLE THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND WITH LOWER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA SEEING RAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EVENT...WITH SNOW ON EITHER SIDE. THE DETAILS FOR SNOW LEVELS IN EACH AREA CAN BE FOUND IN THE STATEMENTS BELOW.
LIGHT SNOW WILL BEGIN THE SIERRA ON FRIDAY MORNING...WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW OCCURRING FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. HOURLY SNOWFALL RATES MAY EXCEED 2 TO 4 INCHES PER HOUR DURING THE STRONGEST PORTION OF THE STORM. 3 TO 8 FEET OF SNOW IS LIKELY IN THE SIERRA ABOVE 7000 FEET...WHICH WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE AVALANCHE DANGER. THOSE LIVING IN REMOTE...HIGHER ELEVATION AREAS IN THE SIERRA COULD BE SNOWED IN FOR MULTIPLE DAYS AND SHOULD PREPARE ACCORDINGLY.
STRONG WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS STORM SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH GUSTS OF 50 TO 70 MPH IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND WINDS OF 100 MPH OR MORE OVER THE SIERRA RIDGES. THIS WILL CAUSE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH WHITEOUT CONDITIONS OVER MOUNTAIN PASSES AND WIND PRONE AREAS.
THE SNOW WILL BE VERY HEAVY AND WET WHICH COMBINED WITH THE STRONG...DAMAGING WINDS COULD DOWN POWER LINES AND TREES. THIS MAY CAUSE WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES ACROSS THE SIERRA.
THE SNOW WILL TURN TO RAIN AT LAKE LEVEL SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT WITH LOCALIZED POOLING OF WATER LIKELY. DEBRIS AND EXCESS SNOW SHOULD BE CLEARED FROM GUTTERS AND DRAINAGES DURING THIS PERIOD TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FLOODING.
CONDITIONS IN THE SIERRA COULD BECOME DANGEROUS THIS WEEKEND DUE TO RAPID SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND STRONG WINDS. MOTORISTS SHOULD CONSIDER ALTERING PLANS TO AVOID THE DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ARE LIKELY...WITH ROAD CLOSURES AND LENGTHY DELAYS POSSIBLE. BACKCOUNTY ACTIVITIES IN THE SIERRA ARE STRONGLY DISCOURAGED THIS WEEKEND.