Storm brings heavy snow to Tahoe, more on way

Martin Griffith

Sunday, Feb. 13, 2000 | 9:19 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - A powerful storm exited the Lake Tahoe area on Saturday after dumping up to 2 feet of snow and making for slow driving conditions.

More snow was on the way as the National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for another storm expected to hit the region Sunday afternoon.

"The potential is there for up to another 2 feet or more of snow above 7,000 feet through Monday," said Steve Otteson of the weather service. "There will be a chance of snow or snow showers every day at least through Wednesday."

He said the latest storm brought heavy snow to the west side of the Sierra crest, but relatively little snow to the east side.

Boreal ski area atop Donner Summit reported 18 to 24 inches of new snow, while Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe above Reno only reported 6 to 10 inches.

"We really got pounded up here," said Boreal spokeswoman Carrie Roberts. "I don't think anybody predicted the storm would be as big as it was."

The storm didn't deter skiers or snowboarders from hitting the slopes Saturday at Boreal or other Tahoe resorts.

"The snow has a fairly low moisture content, which makes for fabulous powder," said Alpine spokeswoman Rachael Woods. "It's basically what skiers wait for. Our parking lot is full today."

The storm hit the region late Friday morning and continued overnight. Only scattered snow showers were reported Saturday.

Motorists faced slow going until chain controls were lifted late Saturday morning on most Tahoe highways, including Interstate 80 over Donner Summit.

By late Saturday afternoon, chains or snow tires were required on only Nevada Route 431 over the Mount Rose Summit and Highway 88 west of Carson Pass.

No major weather-related accidents were reported.

The storm brought the Tahoe snowpack up to 84 percent of normal for the season, the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service reported Saturday morning.

A little more than a month ago, the snowpack stood at only about 20 percent of normal.

A string of potent storms over the last month has set Tahoe ski resorts up for another long season, Woods said.

"We have a bunch of snow. Hopefully, it's a good sign of what's to come," she said.