Update 12:45 pm.: Chain restrictions have eased at Lake Tahoe.

The only highway with chain controls is U.S. Highway 50 from Glenbrook over Spooner Summit. Chains are required on all vehicles except 4-wheel drives with snow tires. For the rest of the highways at Lake Tahoe, there are no chain controls.

The National Weather Service has a winter weather warning in effect through 4 a.m. Wednesday. The service says snowfall rates will ease Monday afternoon but will return with force in the evening into Tuesday.

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“The primary winter impacts of this storm will start to increase later tonight and continue through Tuesday and even into early Wednesday as the main low moves inland over Northern California,” the service said.

Original post

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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The wind roared and snow stacked up overnight leading to widespread chain controls on many Lake Tahoe highways Monday morning.

The National Weather Service in Reno said the winds that ushered in the storm Sunday evening into Monday morning were in the 60-75 mph range with peak Sierra crest ridges gusts over 150 mph.

The roads are snowy and slick, but no chains are required on U.S. Highway 50 from Meyers through South Lake Tahoe and Stateline before restrictions pick up at Glenbrook where chains are required on all vehicles except 4-wheel drives with snow tires over Spooner Summit.

In the other direction on US-50, chains are required on all vehicles except 4-wheel drives with snow tires from Meyers to 1.5 miles west of Kyburz and also from Meyers over Luther Pass on California State Route 89.

On SR-89, from Camp Richardson through Emerald Bay and past D.L. Bliss State Park to Tahoma chains are required on all vehicles except 4-wheel drives with snow tires. From Tahoma to Tahoe City to King Beach no chains are required.

Chains are required on all vehicles except 4-wheel drives with snow tires on SR-267 from 5 miles south of Truckee to Kings Beach.

On Interstate 80, chains are required on all vehicles except 4-wheel drives with snow tires from 3.4 miles east of Gold Run to the Nevada state line. Eastbound trucks are being screened at Applegate and westbound trucks are being screened 5 miles west of Reno at Mogul.

On Nevada State Route 28, chains or snow tires are required on all vehicles from the junction at US-50 through Incline Village and Crystal Bay. Chains are also required on all vehicles except 4-wheel drives with snow tires on SR-431 from Incline over Mount Rose Summit to nearly U.S. Highway 395.

Chains are required on all vehicles except 4-wheel drives with snow tires on Kingsbury Grade (SR-207) from US-50 over Daggett Summit.

The National Weather Service has a winter storm warning in effect through 4 a.m. Wednesday for total snow accumulation that could reach up to 4 feet above 7,000 feet and 1 to 2 feet above 5,500 feet. Mountain travel is not advised during this period, but for those who will be on the roads, the service said there may be a small window Monday afternoon.

“Snowfall rates ease up north of Mono County through the afternoon,” the service said. “While this might lead to a small travel window over the main Sierra roads before snow shower bands return this evening, it will likely be slow going with cold temperatures keeping icy patches around.

“The snow shower bands will begin to consolidate into a continuous stream of moderate-heavy snow overnight into early Tuesday morning, likely continuing all day and into Tuesday night with 1-2-inch per hour snowfall rates prevailing,” the service added. “The most treacherous travel conditions and highest risk of highway closures will encompass this time frame, with much of the warning area receiving 1-3 feet of snowfall and periods of whiteout conditions.”