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Blustery weather expected this week; snowpack 131 percent above 30-year median

Caitlin Row
crow@tahoedailytribune.com
An employee stands as snow falls at Northstar California Tuesday, Jan. 5, in Truckee, Calif. Snow accumulation is expected around the Lake Tahoe Basin starting Wednesday, Jan. 13., with small storms heading into the weekend. Two stronger stroms are predicted for next week.
Northstar California Resort / AP |

SNOW REPORT

Head to http://www.tahoedailytribune.com for its daily snow report, showcasing snowfall numbers from around the lake.

Windy, cold weather with some snow is predicted Wednesday, Jan. 13, with more white stuff in the pipeline.

“We’ll see 1-4 inches Wednesday around Lake Tahoe Basin, possibly 3-7 inches above 7,000 feet,” said Dustin Norman, meteorologist with National Weather Service’s Reno office. “It should be snow, not rain.”

Despite lower snow accumulation expectations, poor road conditions are likely, especially Wednesday night.



“High temperatures will be slightly above freezing,” Norman explained. “While you’ll get accumulation on roads, it will refreeze [Wednesday] night with lows in the upper teens.”

OpenSnow.com forecaster Bryan Allegretto reported that “after a break Thursday, we could see another storm by Thursday night that will bring several more inches of snow. [There will be] another break Friday before a third storm brings more snow on Saturday. The winds will get quite strong even to lake level Wednesday with gusts up to 40 mph, and 60-80 mph on the mountains.



“The winds will stay strong through the upcoming week with all the storms. The storms could continue with a weak storm Sunday, and then next week we could possibly see much stronger storms with fluctuating snow levels.”

Though the Tahoe region has experienced weaker storms of late, Allegretto suggested in his Tuesday, Jan. 12, daily report the possibility of “two strong storms next week,” with predictions of up to a foot of snow.

SNOWPACK

According to Norman, snowpack levels for the Lake Tahoe Basin is looking good.

“Using eight SNOTEL sites, we are currently 131 percent above the 30-year median,” he said. “We’re 382 percent above last year, though we have a long way to go to get out of the drought.”

Stay tuned for an expanded weather and avalanche forecast in the Tribune’s Friday edition.


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