A winter storm will bring heavy mountain snow to the Sierra and valley rain showers in Carson City and surrounding counties with a chance of snow showers around 5,600 feet Tuesday into early Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Mountain snow and valley rain/snow showers will continue through Tuesday and then taper by early Wednesday as people prepare to travel for Thanksgiving. For Carson City area and western Nevada foothills, there may be a dusting to perhaps an inch for locations above 5,000 feet, forecasters said.
NWS forecasters note the Sierra snow will be wet and very heavy with greatest accumulations above 7,000 feet.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for Lake Tahoe and the Sierra, including Alpine County, until 4 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Forecasters say 1 to 2 feet of snow is expected above 7,000 feet around Lake Tahoe, with 1 to 4 inches at lake level. Wind gusts will be high, up to 90 mph along the Sierra crest. Otherwise, at lower levels, wind conditions in the Sierra will be 15 mph to 20 mph to gusts to 35 mph.
Also worth noting, A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 4 p.m. Tuesday for Lassen, Eastern Plumas and Sierra counties.
South of Carson City into Mono County, Calif., the Winter Storm Warning runs until 10 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The brunt of the storm appears to be more southerly and will have more serious impacts to US-395 south into Mono County, according to the weather service.
Snow accumulations of 1 to 2 feet are anticipated above 7,000 feet and up to 3 feet or more above 7,500 feet in Mono County, forecasters said.
Motorists should go to NVroads.com or to Caltrans website here for the latest travel updates.
Good news for holiday travel Wednesday, forecasters note that high pressure will bring drier and seasonably cool conditions.
Current warnings go until late morning Wednesday for Mono County, but the latest weather models have showers tapering before daybreak Wednesday, forecasters said.
Sierra roadways may remain slick from overnight snow showers, but a window of improved travel is looking more likely by afternoon, forecasters said.
Go here for the latest forecast discussion from the National Weather Service in Reno.
