Water concerns ease after weekend storms at Tahoe

RENO, Nev. - Water watchers and ski resort operators rejoiced Sunday after a series of powerful storms dumped up to 5 feet of snow in the Lake Tahoe area.

A winter storm warning remained in effect through today for elevations above 7,000 feet at Tahoe, where up to another 4 feet of snow was expected by Monday night. A high wind warning was in effect across the valleys of western Nevada.

The National Weather Service was calling for a chance of snow every day through Friday.

"I don't think we'll have any summer water concerns now," agency forecaster Ray Collins said. "Certainly, we should get up to normal or above normal precipitation for the first time this season after this latest storm moves through."

The Tahoe snowpack was at 87 percent of normal for the season on Sunday morning, well above the 22 percent of normal a little more than a month ago, the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service reported.

The weather service said the snow level was relatively high on Sunday - about 7,000 feet - and rain was reported at some towns around Tahoe. But the snow level was expected to drop to 5,500 feet later today.

Tahoe ski resort operators said the storms set the stage for a busy Presidents Day holiday weekend.

Over a three-day period ending Sunday afternoon, the Kirkwood resort south of Tahoe reported up to 5 feet of new snow and Boreal atop Donner Summit reported nearly 4 feet of new snow.

"It's been dumping up here all day," Boreal spokeswoman Carrie Roberts said Sunday. "This is getting everybody super-excited about the (holiday) weekend. I think people will be excited there's so much snow to play in."

Kirkwood spokeswoman Tania Pilkinton said the recent storms should ensure that the Presidents Day weekend is again her resort's biggest of the season.

"As long as it doesn't snow heavily over the weekend it'll be great," she said. "Not only has it set us up for the weekend, but for the rest of the season. These storms will make for some good spring skiing."

Chains or snow tires were required today on Interstate 80 over Donner Summit, California 88 over Carson Pass, the Mount Rose Highway south of Reno and on Kingsbury Grade between the Carson Valley and Stateline.

Highway 88 and U.S. Highway 50 over Echo Summit were shut down at various times Sunday because of avalanche control activities.

No major weather-related accidents were reported, but bumper-to-bumper traffic was reported on I-80 and Highway 50 in the Sierra.

Collins was unsure whether the La Nina weather pattern is behind the recent storms.

"Earlier in the season, the wet pattern was in the Pacific Northwest. Now, we're in a wet pattern and we'll stay in it through this week," he said.

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