LAKE TAHOE, California – What could wind up being the biggest storm of the season for the area is expected to touch down in the Sierra Nevadas through the end of this week, with five to ten feet of snowfall possible in some areas. Those hoping to take advantage of the snowfall at the ski areas are reminded to prepare for dangerous roads and potentially closed highways.
According to The Mercury News, snowfall is expected to begin on Thursday and peak on Friday, with two to four inches an hour possible at the storms strongest point. Driving conditions are expected to be near-impossible, and wind speeds could reach up to 65mph. The National Weather Service has issued its first blizzard warning of the year for the Northern and Central Sierra Nevada.
“If people are not already up here by Thursday morning, do not come. It’s a shelter-in-place situation. People up here are buying fuel today for backup generators and boarding up their windows. It’s like watching people prepare for a hurricane.” – lead scientist at the UC Central Sierra Snow Lab at Donner Summit Andrew Schwartz
Meanwhile, several resorts in the area, including Palisades Tahoe and Heavenly, have warned prospective guests of potential partial or full closures on the mountains. Friday and Saturday will at least bring major delays to mountain operations throughout the Lake Tahoe area.
“We will be starting from scratch and we cannot put out estimated re-opening information until we see what this storm brings. We do expect that Sunday will be a day of patience as we dig out. Each day, we set the next day’s lift projections at 4pm. You can check the app or the website for real-time changes.” – Palisades Tahoe
Related: Feet of Snow Possible This Weekend @ Mammoth Mountain
Featured Image Credit: Heavenly Mountain via Facebook