Wintery weather churning in the Pacific will bring a strong storm system through the Northern Sierra and Lake Tahoe this week. Beginning Monday night and continuing through Wednesday, significant snow, measured in feet, is forecast for the highest elevations, with heavy rain throughout the area, and very high winds over ridges and passes. Temperatures around Tahoe will hover in the lower 50's and upper 40's through Wednesday, followed by 60's after Wednesday. Overnight lows will remain in the upper 30's and low 40's. In Truckee, daytime temps will follow suit, with overnight lows hovering in the upper 30's to the low 40's.

The National Weather Service has issued the following Special Weather Statement:
[Read The Statement]

507 AM PDT MON OCT 12 2009 ...STRONG STORM SYSTEM TO IMPACT THE AREA TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY... A SIGNIFICANT STORM SYSTEM WILL IMPACT MUCH OF THE WESTERN U.S. TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. UP TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN IS EXPECTED FOR THE SIERRA...INCLUDING 2 TO 3 INCHES IN THE TAHOE BASIN. SEVERAL FEET OF SNOW ARE LIKELY AT THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS AND BACKCOUNTRY OF THE SIERRA...MAINLY ABOVE 9000 FEET. IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF WESTERN NEVADA AND NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA...UP TO AN INCH OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE FROM THIS STORM.

SNOW LEVELS WILL START AROUND 7500 FEET THIS EVENING. HOWEVER WARM AND MOIST PACIFIC AIR WILL PUSH SNOW LEVELS TO 9000 FEET OR HIGHER BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THESE HIGH SNOW LEVELS WILL REDUCE IMPACTS FROM SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. SNOW LEVELS WILL LOWER SOMEWHAT EARLY WEDNESDAY AS PRECIPITATION BEGINS TO TAPER. LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW COULD POSE A BRIEF PERIOD OF TRAVEL INCONVENIENCE ON AREA PASSES MAINLY ABOVE 7500 FEET AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EVENT EARLY TUESDAY AND AGAIN WEDNESDAY MORNING.

THE RECENT DRY CONDITIONS AND LITTLE TO NO SNOWPACK WILL PRECLUDE FLOODING OF MAIN STEM RIVERS. HOWEVER HEAVY RAINFALL WILL PRODUCE RISES ON SMALLER CREEKS AND STREAMS AND MAY CAUSE MINOR FLOODING IN URBAN SETTINGS AND NEAR STEEP TERRAIN. SLICK ROADWAYS AND PONDING OF WATER FROM MODERATE TO HEAVY PERIODS OF RAIN WILL RESULT IN HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY NIGHT.

IN ADDITION TO HEAVY PRECIPITATION...THIS STORM WILL BRING STRONG WINDS IN EXCESS OF 120 MPH TO SIERRA RIDGES. GUSTY SOUTH WINDS TO 45-50 MPH WILL ALSO AFFECT MANY LOWER ELEVATIONS AND POSE A THREAT TO HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

Tahoe City/Lake Tahoe Forecast

Monday: (Columbus Day) A 20 percent chance of showers after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. Breezy, with a west wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to between 15 and 20 mph. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

Monday night: Scattered showers before 6pm, then rain, mainly after 11pm. Low around 40. South wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tuesday: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 44. Breezy, with a south wind between 20 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Tuesday Night: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 39. Windy, with a south wind between 25 and 30 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Wednesday: Showers likely, mainly before 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 60.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 61.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.
Source: NWS Reno.

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