SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Wet, heavy snow is expected to affect travel in the mountains on Saturday and a stronger system may provide moderate precipitation early next week.

The National Weather Service in Reno on Saturday morning issued a special weather statement and winter weather advisory that goes into effect at 11 a.m. and lasts through midnight for snow expected above 7,000 feet.

The service said 3-6 inches of Sierra cement may fall in the mountains causing slippery roads over the higher mountain passes. No snow is in the forecast for lake level, but light accumulations could happen at about 6,500 feet after midnight.

Southwest winds reached 40 mph early in the morning hours on Saturday at Tahoe and the gusts will continue throughout the day and could reach up to 75 mph on mountaintops.

The high is expected to reach the high 40s on Saturday with overnight lows below freezing.Sunday’s high will be in the low 40s and in the high 20s overnight.

The next stronger storm will push into the region late Monday into Tuesday. While these storms won`t be as strong as our late October atmospheric river storm, “they will bring rounds of beneficial precipitation,” and more strong winds, the service said.

The service said the storm will start cold with snow levels rising through the event as the warmer Pacific moisture feed moves in. The heaviest precipitation is expected to happen Monday night into early Tuesday.

The service is forecasting 10-16 inches of snow in the high Sierra with lesser amounts in the lower elevations due to snow level changes through the event.

Monday evening travel could be messy for most roads in the Sierra and northeast California, with snow impacts becoming more limited to higher passes into Tuesday, said the statement.

Winds are expected to range anywhere from 35-70 mph

The high temps Monday and Tuesday will be in the low 40s that drop to about freezing overnight.

Warm and dry conditions return for the second half of next week.