For the second consecutive year, the Greater Lake Tahoe area is poised to welcome March with an abundance of deep, powdery snow whipped by strong winds.
A rare alert has been issued for “life-threatening blizzard conditions” in the Sierra mountains, encompassing Lake Tahoe. The impending storm, expected to last from Thursday through Sunday, could result in over three feet of snow accumulation.
Blizzard warnings are typically reserved for the most severe snowstorms characterized by prolonged whiteout conditions, posing significant risks to travel in the area. Since 2002, the National Weather Service in Reno, Nev., has declared only eight blizzard warnings, with the last one in the Tahoe region occurring almost exactly a year ago on Feb. 27, 2023.
During the previous warning, nearly two feet of snow blanketed the area in less than 24 hours, creating challenges in differentiating between houses and snowdrifts. The combination of heavy snowfall and strong winds of up to 50 miles per hour reduced visibility to just a few feet.
Forecast for Severe Winter Weather on Thursday
Source: National Weather Service
This map categorizes risk into three tiers: “Some” indicates a possibility of extreme weather, “Moderate” suggests likely occurrence of damaging weather, and “High” signifies the expectation of extreme and hazardous conditions. The data is current as of [DATETIME] and excludes Alaska and Hawaii.
By The New York Times
Anticipated Conditions Leading into the Weekend:
- Snowfall is expected to commence on Thursday, with the most severe whiteout conditions likely occurring from Friday afternoon through Saturday morning.
- Significant snow accumulation, with an 80 percent probability, is anticipated in the Cascades and Sierra regions, particularly above 5,000 feet. Higher elevations may experience between five to 10 feet of snow, possibly reaching up to 12 feet in isolated areas.
- Forecasters have warned of substantial and prolonged disruptions to daily life in the higher elevations of the Sierra from Friday to Saturday.
- Even Northern California and Sierra foothill communities are likely to experience snowfall as colder air moves into the region on Friday and Saturday.
- Coastal areas are expected to receive rain from Thursday through the weekend, although the precipitation amounts will be relatively low compared to previous storms this season.
Insight into Snowfall Expectations:
The National Weather Service does not provide information for specific locations regarding snowfall predictions.
Potential for Consecutive Winter Storms in March:
Similar to the storm that occurred at the end of February last year, a storm originating off the Pacific Northwest coast is poised to establish conditions conducive to transporting moisture from the Pacific Ocean. This moisture, combined with cold air masses and strong winds in the Sierra region, is likely to result in additional days of snowfall and the potential for whiteout conditions. While there has been some snow in the area this year, it has not matched the levels experienced last winter.
The snowpack in the Sierra, which contributes 30 percent of the state’s annual water supply, stands to benefit from this storm, aiding in replenishing water reserves.
Following a brief respite late on Sunday, another storm may materialize as early as Monday. Although forecasters do not anticipate this upcoming storm to be as intense as the one expected over the weekend, they advise vigilance and monitoring of the situation.