RENO, Nev. (AP) - A series of Pacific storms are expected to bring rain and snow to the Sierra beginning Thursday night and increasing through the weekend.

National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Faucette says the first of the storms will bring light precipitation to the mountains and snow above 7,500 feet mostly from Lake Tahoe and to the north.

He told the Reno Gazette-Journal a second storm expected Friday night into Saturday will bring up to 6 inches of snow above 7,000 feet and lesser amounts at lake level.

The third and strongest storm should arrive late Saturday night into Sunday morning. It's expected to drop another 4 to 8 inches of snow in the higher elevations, and by Sunday snow levels could drop to about 5,000 feet in the foothills around Reno.

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