Winter arrives with snow piling up over highways around Lake Tahoe
A storm moving into the greater Lake Tahoe area prompted the National Weather Service to issue a winter weather advisory until 4 p.m. Thursday.
As of early Wednesday evening, snow was piling up on State Route 207 Kingsbury Grade causing several spinouts with snow sticking on US-50 West near Spooner summit.
Motorists are advised of chain requirements over Spooner and Kingsbury as well as Mt. Rose Highway, which is also experiencing heavy snow.
Snow is expected above 6,000 feet with accumulations of 4 to 10 inches, and 1-2 feet above 8,000 feet, according to the weather service. Ridge winds were expected to gust as high as 100 mph.
The weather service advises travel will be difficult, with hazardous conditions impacting the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning commutes. Forecasters also advised strong winds could cause damage to trees and power lines and with heavy snow rates, may produce white out conditions.
For the latest road conditions go to NVroads.com or call 511.
As for the latest forecast discussion, weather service meteorologists say as the front pushes through western Nevada there is a 60 percent chance for light, isolated spillover showers into far western Nevada Wednesday evening with minimal accumulations.
Another storm system is on track to move through the area on Thursday after a brief lull in the action in the morning, forecasters said. This will likely be a weaker, less energetic system but snow levels will start off lower at around 5,000 feet.
A majority of the precipitation will end by the early evening hours Thursday. Winds will remain strong along the Sierra crests, forecasters note with gusts of 60-80 mph.