UC Davis Tahoe Research Center launches lake conditions tool

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -There’s now a way to find the conditions of Lake Tahoe before you head out on the water. This is thanks to computer science students at the UC Davis Environmental Research Center. With fourth of July weekend right around the corner, now is the time to see what you can expect heading out to the lake.

The lake conditions website gives you lake temperatures, water currents, and wave heights all in real time. This website was created by undergraduate and graduate students of the computer science program.

In the past 6 months, the group coded then applied physics and outside inputs from the national weather service to show a realistic model of Lake Tahoe. This model shows how weather can cause colder and even dangerous conditions days after a system passes.

Sergio Valbuena is a UC Davis Ph.D. candidate and helped in the creation of the website, he shared what it means to have a website published like this,

“That was one part of the motivation, because when it’s windy we don’t go in the lake, but the day after it stops being windy we go into the lake and we might be surprised why the water is so cold… it’s not just the science that I like, the science is helping people be safer.” Valbuena said.

During these summer months be mindful of this season’s wind and wave patterns at the lake.

To view the lake conditions website, click here.

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