Winter storm warning for Sierra, Tahoe starts Saturday night

RENO, Nev. (AP) - The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Lake Tahoe and much of the Sierra Saturday night through Sunday night as another storm packing up to 2 feet (61 centimeters) of snow and winds gusting in excess of 100 mph (160 kph) makes its way into the area.

The warning stretches from 7 p.m. Saturday to 10 p.m. Sunday at Tahoe, where 5 to 10 inches (12 to 25 cm) of snow is expected at lake level, the weather service in Reno said Friday afternoon.

One to 2 feet (30 to 61 cm) of snow is forecast above elevations of 7,000 feet (2,133 meters), with 3 feet (91 cm) possible on Sierra ridgetops along the California-Nevada line, where winds may gust up to 120 mph (193 kph). Winds gusting up to 45 mph (72 kph) on the lake could create waves up to 4 feet high (1.2 meters), it said.

“Travel could be very difficult to impossible. Strong winds could cause tree damage and power outages,” the service said. “A combination of winds and waves may capsize small vessels on Lake Tahoe.”