Traffic slows down around Lake Tahoe as snow continues to fall
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Drivers leaving the Lake Tahoe area Sunday should be prepared for slow going and dangerous road conditions.
There is a winter storm warning in effect for the Tahoe Basin until 4 p.m. Monday. Another 1 to 5 inches of snow may fall in the region between Sunday and Monday, and winds may gust as high as 50 mph at lake level. Up in the mountains, the National Weather Service is forecasting gusts up to 95 mph.
“Travel could be very difficult to impossible at times,” the weather service’s Reno office warned Sunday. “Very strong winds could cause tree damage.”
“Avoid travel if possible, you could be stuck in your vehicle for many hours,” it added in the advisory. “If you must travel, prepare for long delays and carry an emergency kit with extra food, water and clothing. If you stay home, have a backup plan in case of power outages.”
Snow continued to fall Sunday morning but is expected to turn into lighter flurries through the afternoon. Chains are required on highways 80 and 50. You can check the latest requirements on the Caltrans site.
Throughout the day, driving conditions have been sluggish on Tahoe’s westbound highways. The drive from Tahoe City to San Francisco, which normally takes about three and a half hours, had already climbed to four and a half hours by 10 a.m. The drive from South Lake Tahoe to San Francisco was at about 4 hours. By mid-afternoon, drive times were fluctuating between four and a half and 5 hours.
