Winter storm pounds Sierra mountains near Tahoe, slogging roads and affecting schools
A strong winter storm battering the Sierra Nevada mountains this week has created travel delays and impacted Tahoe-area schools, some of which were closed or delayed their start times Monday.
The National Weather Service predicted 3 to 4 feet of snow could fall at summit level between Sunday evening and Wednesday morning, prompting a winter storm warning that is in place for the central Sierra Nevada through 4 a.m. Wednesday. Up to a foot could fall in parts of the foothills, including Pollock Pines, forecasts show.
About 5 inches of snow fell between Sunday and 8:15 a.m. Monday near South Lake Tahoe and near Truckee, according to weather service data. Gusts above 60 mph were also recorded Sunday near South Lake Tahoe, according to the weather service.
Chain controls were in place Monday morning on Highway 50 from Twin Bridges to Meyers, and on Interstate 80 from Nyack through the Nevada state line, according to Caltrans. By early afternoon, controls were lifted in each directions on both highways.
Lake Tahoe Unified School District announced all schools would open two hours later than normal Monday “due to snow accumulations.”
Some Tahoe-area schools on the Nevada side of the lake were closed Monday due to the snow, including Zephyr Cove Elementary and Whittell High School in Douglas County and Incline Village schools in Washoe County, according to those counties’ school districts.
What about rain in Sacramento?
Precipitation in the Sacramento Valley is coming later than expected, but forecasters say it’s still on the way.
Rain had initially been forecast to begin Sunday near Sacramento, but the weather service recorded no precipitation downtown and only trace amounts at Sacramento Executive Airport.
Scattered showers began to pass through Northern California late Sunday, with rainfall likely to return Monday afternoon, intensifying near Sacramento on Tuesday, according to the latest forecasts.
The weather service said Sacramento could get between a quarter-inch and a half-inch of rain each of Monday and Tuesday, with lighter morning showers possible Wednesday. A chance of thunderstorms could boost those totals.
High temperatures near Sacramento are forecast to range in the 50s all week, with nighttime lows in the 40s Monday and Tuesday giving way to the high 30s Wednesday and Thursday.
This story was originally published November 7, 2022 at 9:04 AM.
