The wind is howling this morning at Lake Tahoe and the first snowfall is on its way.

The National Weather Service in Reno issued its first Winter Weather Advisory of the season early Friday morning that said nearly a foot of snow could fall this weekend at lake level.

NWS said total accumulations will likely be around 3 to 6 inches but localized amounts could get up to 10 inches.

The winter advisory is in effect from 7 p.m. Saturday through 10 a.m. Sunday. Travel over mountain passes will be especially difficult during those 15 hours.

Motorists should plan on slippery roads and poor visibility with periods of moderate to heavy snow Saturday night into Sunday morning. People traveling in the mountains should have an emergency kit available, that includes water, extra food, warm blanket and a flashlight. Also, don’t forget your chains.

Officials said even light snowfall may cause major travel delays so plan on longer driving times to reach your destination and leave extra space between vehicles to account for slick roads.

Latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 511.

The winter advisory joins a Red Flag Warning which expires at 9 a.m. Friday, a Lake Wind Advisory that expires at 4 p.m. on Friday and a Special Weather Statement that’s calling for a weather pattern shift, to colder temperatures for much of November.

NWS said there is a chance for rain showers Friday morning then snow enters the mix in the afternoon. The snow is starting at 8,400 feet today and will drop to around 6,400 feet in the afternoon. Not much snow accumulation is expected.

The high temperature of 45 will drop to about 25 for Saturday morning. The temperatures don’t get above freezing until Tuesday where the high is expected to be in the high 30s.