NWS forecasters are calling it "the perfect recipe for snow" in their discussion Friday. A Special Weather Statement released late Friday calls for an "active weather pattern" for the next week.

Special Weather Statement
356 PM PST FRI DEC 4 2009

...ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN LIKELY FOR NEXT WEEK...

A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER PATTERN WITH A STRENGTHENING PACIFIC JET STREAM WILL BRING STORM SYSTEMS INTO CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA NEXT WEEK. THE EXACT TIMING AND STRENGTH OF THE STORMS REMAIN UNCERTAIN HOWEVER CURRENT THINKING IS THAT TWO SEPARATE SYSTEMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION NEXT WEEK.

THE FIRST SYSTEM WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A COLD AIR MASS...BRINGING SNOW AND SNOW SHOWERS TO EASTERN CALIFORNIA AND WESTERN NEVADA FROM LATE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE EASTERN SIERRA AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEVADA WHICH COULD PRODUCE DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS FOR THE MONDAY MORNING COMMUTE. TEMPERATURES IN LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL LIKELY REMAIN BELOW FREEZING THROUGH MONDAY...AND MAY FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS MONDAY NIGHT.

A SECOND STORM IS POSSIBLE LATER NEXT WEEK...MAINLY FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SNOW LEVELS ARE MORE LIKELY TO RISE ABOVE THE VALLEY FLOOR AS ABUNDANT MOISTURE MOVES INTO THE REGION. SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. WITH BOTH SYSTEMS...WINDS WILL INCREASE AND BECOME STRONG ESPECIALLY ON THE SIERRA RIDGES.

IN SUMMARY...SINCE THE EXACT TRACK AND INTENSITY OF THESE STORMS ARE UNCERTAIN...IT IS TOO SOON TO ESTIMATE POTENTIAL RAIN OR SNOW AMOUNTS. THE TIMING AND TRACK OF THESE SYSTEMS MAY CHANGE AS NEW DATA ARE ANALYZED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS LOCAL OFFICIALS...EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND ANYONE WITH TRAVEL PLANS NEXT WEEK SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE FORECASTS AND FURTHER STATEMENTS.

Read the complete advisory.

Tahoe City/Lake Tahoe Weekend Forecast

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph becoming southwest. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Sunday Night: Snow. Low around 20. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Source: NWS Reno.

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