Many people are heading to Lake Tahoe for the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. Meteorologists warn that a storm system is moving in and could cause dangerous driving conditions.
Hannah Chandler-Cooley is a National Weather Service meteorologist in Sacramento. She stated that “we are expecting heavy snow over the Sierra this afternoon.” Due to multiple snowfalls and few breaks, roads will be very rough throughout the weekend.
It’s tempting to travel to Lake Tahoe, with Diamond Peak resort receiving 66 inches of powdered snow and many areas getting more that 2 feet in the last 72 hours, according OnTheSnow.
A tweet from the weather service stated that travel is discouraged and suggested to get off the roads by Friday at 1 p.m.
Chandler-Cooley stated that the area will receive “3 to 6 inches of snow” between Monday and Tuesday.
She said that this blanketing combined with strong winds gusting up to 55 mph “can create whiteout conditions”.
Crews will have a difficult time clearing roads due to the snowfall over the weekend. Chandler-Cooley says motorists who feel the need to travel on weekends should expect travel delays and road closures.
People who ignore these warnings should “drive slowly and carefully if necessary,” she advised, particularly on Saturday and Monday when conditions are expected to be worst.
It is important to be prepared for anything and have chains, an emergency kit, winter clothes, extra water, and food in case of road closures.
