I hope you had a chance to enjoy the weather this last weekend, because next weekend is going to be a whole ‘nother matter. Over the next couple of days, the west coast ridge of high pressure will stay in place, resulting in sunny skies and slightly above average temperatures. By late Thursday, the ridge breaks down and a moderately strong winter storm will move through the region. By Friday strong winds will move into the area (valley gusts could exceed 50 mph) with mountain rain and snow. Snow levels will start out above pass level Friday morning, but should lower to Lake Tahoe level by Saturday, and could even drop to the valley floor by Monday morning.

While this upcoming storm will probably be moderate in terms of total mountain snow, etc…, its impact could be more significant if for no other reason than the first good winter storm of the season tends to catch people more unaware. It’s always best to make sure you are prepared for any driving conditions, and if you plan on going over the passes this weekend, be ready for some challenging conditions, and also be prepared for others to not be as prepared as you.