The snowstorm that hit Tahoe ski resorts came as advertised. It delivered up to 2 feet of new snow when it halted Thursday evening.
The result was a powder day for skiers and snowboarders who descended on Tahoe ski resorts Friday (Dec. 2). It also left Tahoe ski resorts scrambling to get as much new terrain and lifts open as possible.
“Our goal is to open as much terrain as possible in the quickest and safest manner allowed,” a message on the Palisades Tahoe website stated.
Closed all last season due to fire damage, Sierra-at-Tahoe will open Saturday with 25 inches of fresh snow, the largest total of any Tahoe ski resort from the storm. Granlibakken received 23 inches, while Palisades and Homewood Mountain got 21 inches, and Kirkwood and Tahoe Donner recorded 20 inches of snow from the sizable storm.
However, there’s a note of caution for anxious skiers and riders. The Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee issued a backcountry avalanche warning through Friday for the Central Sierra Nevada, including the Tahoe area.
“Feet of new snow and strong winds will overload an already weak snowpack and result in very dangerous avalanche conditions in the mountains,” the Avalanche Center said.
TAHOE SNOW REPORT
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: 25 inches
- Granlibakken: 23 inches
- Palisades: 21 inches
- Homewood: 21 inches
- Kirkwood: 20 inches
- Tahoe Donner: 20 inches
- Mt. Rose: 19 inches
- Northstar: 18 inches
- Boreal: 16 inches
- Sugar Bowl: 16 inches
- Soda Springs: 16 inches
- Heavenly: 15 inches
- Diamond Peak: 11 inches
A yardstick was needed to measure the snow in the higher elevations with snow causing travel-related headaches for drivers across the region.
Interstate 80 at Donner Pass and Highway 50 at Echo Summit were closed periodically throughout the storm on Thursday due to vehicles stuck on the snow-packed roads. But the roads have since been reopened to traffic.
SECOND STORM THIS WEEKEND: Another snowstorm arrives Saturday and should last through the weekend. Officials said this snow will start Saturday morning and go through Monday morning, with the most persistent snowfall likely being Saturday night into Sunday morning.
In the Tahoe region, high temperatures for the rest of the week are expected to be around freezing or even colder in the single digits. The high temperatures through the weekend will be in the upper 30s and may not dip into the 40s.
Winds will start to pick up Saturday morning ahead of the system and peak Saturday evening, with gusts along the Sierra crest 80-plus mph. After the storms pass, the NWS says next week will begin with dry conditions and below average temps.
“We ask for additional patience as our crews work hard to expand terrain through these incoming weather conditions, including wind impacts,” said Cole Zimmerman, who represents Heavenly, Kirkwood and Northstar. “The three resorts are excited about the weather patterns since opening earlier than anticipated on November 12; all continue to carefully monitor the forecast ahead.”
TAHOE SKI RESORT OPENING DATES
- Mt. Rose: Open Nov. 11
- Boreal: Open Nov. 11
- Northstar: Open Nov. 12
- Heavenly: Open Nov. 12
- Kirkwood: Open Nov. 12
- Palisades: Open Nov. 18
- Sugar Bowl: Open Nov. 25
- Soda Springs: Open Nov. 25
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: Dec. 3
- Diamond Peak: Dec. 3
- Tahoe Donner: Dec. 9
- Homewood: Dec. 16
- Granlibakken: Dec. 16
