Just as the ski resorts begin to close this afternoon, a winter storm will begin to surface in the Lake Tahoe Basin, bringing rain, snow and gusty winds.

The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a winter storm warning which begins at 4 p.m. today and will last through 10 p.m. on Sunday.

The storm will move into the Northern Sierra later in the afternoon. Snow levels with this storm may rise as high as 6,500 feet this afternoon and early evening, with the potential for a period of heavy rain at lake level before snow levels fall below lake level and below 6,000 feet this evening.

By Sunday night total snow accumulations could be between 10 and 18 inches below 7,000 feet, including lake level, to 2 to 3 feet of snow above 7,000 feet.

Gusty winds will combine with the heavy snow to produce very low visibilities over mountain passes and exposed locations, according to the weather service. Sierra ridge gusts could reach 100 mph with this storm.