Gusts of up to 90 mph and as much as 24 inches of snow are in the forecast from Friday into Saturday under winter storm warnings from the National Weather Service. The warnings take the place of earlier winter storm watches, and forecasters now expect near-whiteout conditions at times. Power outages could also leave some gas stations and EV chargers without electricity.
Where the Wind and Snow Hit Hardest
The strongest gusts in the Reno office’s winter storm warnings reach 70 to 90 mph over the ridges around Lake Tahoe. Lakeside towns from Stateline and Incline Village to Truckee can expect 35 to 45 mph, and waves of 2 to 4 feet on the lake. Along the crest west of Tahoe, snow totals could hit 20 inches. Mono County gets 12 to 24 inches above 7,000 feet around Mammoth Lakes, Lee Vining and Bridgeport, with gusts of 45 to 55 mph along Highway 395.
Above 6,000 feet, the Sacramento office’s winter storm warning for the Northern Sierra covers Interstate 80, Highway 50 and Lassen Volcanic National Park. Forecasters expect up to 12 inches there and as much as 24 inches on the highest peaks, with gusts to 60 mph. Snow levels drop to 5,500 to 6,500 feet by Saturday morning. NWS Las Vegas has 5 to 10 inches in the forecast for the Eastern Sierra Slopes above 7,000 feet.
Timing Friday Into Saturday
The Sacramento and Lake Tahoe warnings run from 1 p.m. ET Friday to 1 p.m. ET Saturday; Mono County from 4 p.m. ET Friday to 1 p.m. ET Saturday; and the Eastern Sierra Slopes until 7 p.m. ET Saturday. The heaviest snow is due to start Friday night, around the time of the evening commute, and into Saturday morning…