SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — A couple inches of snow fell overnight at Lake Tahoe as stormy weather returned after a few unseasonably warm days, and more is on the way.

The National Weather Service in Reno issued a winter weather advisory Monday afternoon that is in effect through 11 p.m. Tuesday for snow accumulations of up to 6 inches, and up to 10 inches above 7,000 feet.

Along the Sierra crest above 7,000 feet the service said there is a 70% chance for 2-4 inches and 30% chance of up to 8 more inches through Tuesday, with the heaviest snowfall occurring between 2-8 p.m.

Winds could gust as high as 50 mph along Sierra ridges.

While no chain controls are in effect Tuesday morning, except for Nevada State Route 431 over Mount Rose Summit, roads may be slick with even a couple of inches of snow causing travel impacts. 

The slow-moving low pressure system is expected to provide daily chances for a mix of rain and snow and pellet showers this week with snow levels ranging from 5,500 to 7,000 feet.

There are also 20-30% chances for daily thunderstorms, the service said in a special statement.

Another shortwave is expected Wednesday morning that will bring widespread light precipitation across the region. 

“The best chance (40-60%) for precipitation remains mostly over the Sierra crest to include the Lake Tahoe Basin, the service said. “Snow levels will hover around 6,000 to 7,000 feet range with the potential for snow showers developing across much of the Sierra. Blended guidance is trending lower for snowfall amounts with only a 50-70% chance for at least 4-6 inches of snow just south of the Tahoe Basin.”

While Sierra snow showers are expected, warmer road temperatures and the early May sun angle may limit accumulations on paved surfaces, but bursts of heavy snow or snow occurring during the overnight hours could bring travel impacts to mountain passes.

High temps this week in the mid 40s will be 5 to 10 degrees below normal for May and the wind will make it feel cooler.

The service said additional low pressure systems may track across the region by next weekend which could yield continued cool and breezy conditions. This may yield more rain and snow showers with snow levels remaining around 6,000 to 8,000 feet.