Tahoe Wakes Up Buried in Snow After Powerful Holiday Storm
Northern California’s Christmas weather delivered just about everything this week—heavy rain, blizzard conditions, and finally, a classic white Christmas for the Sierra—thanks to an atmospheric river tapping moisture from near Hawaii.
Lake Tahoe communities woke up to a true white Christmas aftermath, with 5 to 10 inches of new snow at lake level and far more piling up in the high country. Over the past 24 hours, Palisades Tahoe reported about 2 feet of fresh snow, while Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe picked up nearly 3 feet.
According to OpenSnow, nine Tahoe-area resorts logged 2 to 3 feet in a single day, with Northstar California Resort and Mt. Rose each reporting around 38 inches during the storm. Kirkwood Mountain Resort saw 33 inches, while Mammoth Mountain also tallied 38 inches farther south.
Snow continued overnight, with Donner Pass picking up an estimated 13 to 19 inches by early Friday, and South Lake Tahoe adding 7 to 11 inches at lake level. A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for the greater Tahoe area through 10 a.m. Friday, with 1 to 3 feet of additional snow above 7,000 feet. An Avalanche Warning is also in place for Tahoe’s backcountry.
The stormy pattern isn’t done yet, but forecasters say drier weather and sunshine should arrive this weekend, offering a calmer — and very snowy — finish to the holiday week.
