A heavy dose of snow is expected throughout Saturday for Tahoe ski resorts.
The National Weather Service issued a storm warning Saturday (Dec. 7) for the Lake Tahoe region. Total accumulation was expected between 1-3 feet of snow. The storm warning was in effect through Sunday at noon.
Snow was dumping and it was a bit windy Saturday, but that didn’t bother skiers and snowboarders at Diamond Peak ski resort, which was celebrating opening day. Located in Incline Village in North Lake Tahoe, Diamond Peak started Saturday with four inches of new snow, increasing its base to 51 inches.
Diamond Peak became the 12th Tahoe ski resort to open for the 2019-20 season. Tahoe Donner and Granlibakken are scheduled to open Friday (Dec. 13).
“It’s been a great opening day so far,” Diamond Peak spokesperson Paul Raymore said early Saturday afternoon. “Since about noon, the storm has moved in and it’s now snowing heavily with up to 16 inches predicted this afternoon and overnight. Everyone at the mountain has been stoked on the early opening and we’re all looking forward to a powder day tomorrow for Day 2.”
Storm totals were smaller than anticipated overnight Friday at Tahoe ski resorts, where most weather forecasters were predicting 3 feet of new snow by Monday morning.
Mt. Rose received the most snow of any Tahoe ski resort, reporting 10 inches at its summit Saturday morning, pushing its season total to 103 inches.Kirkwood Mountain, located off Highway 88 near South Lake Tahoe, was reporting 5 inches Saturday morning. It has the most early-season snow (113 inches) of any Tahoe ski resort.
Sierra-at-Tahoe got 5 inches overnight, increasing its season total to 103 inches. It was running 7 lifts, 40 trails and one snow park Saturday morning.
Squaw Valley had 8 inches overnight, while neighboring Alpine received 5 inches. Due to wet and windy conditions, the scheduled grand opening of Alpine’s new mid-mountain lift – Treeline Cirque – was postponed until next Saturday (Dec. 14). Alpine had 5 lifts with 30 trails available, including runs off Treeline Cirque.
Following its Friday (Dec. 6) opening, Homewood Mountain received 7 inches overnight and was running its lifts as planned.
Northstar California received 6 inches of new snow, increasing its season total to 91 inches. Another Vail Resort in Tahoe – Heavenly Mountain – was being impacted by 55 mph winds with gusts up to 80 mph. The Gondola and top of the Gondola area were closed around 2 p.m. due to severe weather conditions.
Located off Interstate 80 at the Norden exit, Sugar Bowl had 6 inches of new snow overnight and 82 for the season. Mt. Lincoln was on wind-hold in the morning at Sugar Bowl, which was scheduled to have 8 lifts running that accessed 69 trails.
OPENING DATES TAHOE SKI RESORTS (all dates are weather dependent)
- Mt. Rose: Opened October 25
- Squaw Valley: Opened November 15
- Alpine Meadows: Opened November 15
- Boreal Mountain: Opened November 23
- Heavenly Mountain: Opened November 27
- Soda Springs: Opened November 28
- Sugar Bowl: Opened November 29
- Northstar California: Opened November 29
- Kirkwood Mountain: Opened November 29
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: Opened November 30
- Homewood Mountain: Opened December 6
- Diamond Peak: Opened December 7
- Granlibakken: December 13
- Tahoe Donner: December 13
