Snow headed for Sierra, snow and rain for western Nevada

Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2005 | 1:39 a.m.

The storm ski resort operators and skiers have waited for impatiently during an unusually dry autumn swept into the Sierra on Monday, forcing drivers to chain up, but letting the ski areas announce their delayed openings.

A winter storm warning went into effect for the mountains at 9 a.m. and within minutes, chains were mandatory on Interstate 80 over Donner Summit and on U.S. 50 over Echo Summit.

Forecasters were calling for 7-10 inches of snow in the mountains on Monday with another foot possible by morning above 7,000 feet. Gusts to 80 mph also were possible over the ridges.

Snow also was likely in western Nevada with accumulations of 1-4 inches possible and higher amounts in the foothills.

A heavy snow warning was posted for areas on either side of the California-Nevada line north of the Tahoe Basin with up to 18 inches possible above 6,000-7,000 feet. The heaviest accumulations were expected to fall north of a line from Susanville, Calif., to Gerlach, Nev.

As the storm moved east, heavy snow warnings went into effect from Humboldt County to Elko County for accumulations of up to a foot in the higher elevations.

"We went from no weather to very active weather very quickly," Kevin Baker, meteorologist in charge of the Elko weather service office said. "It looks like we are going to stay active for a little while, at least through this week."

Along with I-80 and U.S. 50, chains were mandatory on California routes 28 and 88 with chains or snow tires required on all other Sierra highways and on I-80 between Fernley and Imlay, on most of U.S. 50 from Silver Springs to Eureka, on Nevada 361 south of U.S. 50 in Churchill County and on Nevada 722 south of U.S. 50 in Lander County.

Boreal, the first Sierra resort to open, offered one lift on Monday.

Northstar-at-Tahoe and Heavenly Mountain Resort said they would open on Wednesday. Kirkwood will start the lifts on Thursday and Alpine Meadows will open next Friday. Squaw Valley plans to open on Saturday.

"The wait is over. These recent storms, combined with our phenomenal snowmaking team, have made it possible for us to be the first resort in Tahoe to offer quality winter conditions for skiing and riding," said Blaise Carrig, Heavenlys chief operating officer.

Resorts typically aim to open in time for the long Thanksgiving weekend, but this fall has been anything but typical until this week.

Rain or snow were likely in the mountains the rest of this week with rain and some snow in the western valleys.