Sierra Winter Storm Watch: Up to 2 Feet of Snow and 90 MPH Ridge Gusts

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Key Points

  • The National Weather Service has Winter Storm Watches up for the Sierra Nevada from Lassen to Sequoia, including Lake Tahoe and Mono County, starting Friday, Nov. 13.
  • NWS offices forecast about a foot of heavy, wet snow above 7,000 feet near Tahoe, up to 20 inches along the crest and 1 to 2 feet in Mono County, with ridge gusts of 70 to 90 mph.
  • The NWS Reno office says the heaviest snow should fall from about 4 p.m. to midnight Friday, so the Friday evening commute over Interstate 80 and Highway 50 is the main travel risk.
  • A second, colder storm is forecast for late Sunday into Monday, and NWS offices warn of 25 to 35 foot breaking waves on parts of the Northern California coast this weekend.

A winter storm watch now covers much of California’s Sierra Nevada as a strong Pacific storm heads for Lake Tahoe and the high passes on Friday, Nov. 13. The National Weather Service says heavy, wet snow, ridge gusts as strong as 90 mph and rain in the valleys could make travel very difficult from Friday afternoon into Saturday morning, with more snow possible early next week.

If you plan to cross the Sierra this weekend, the short answer from forecasters is to finish the trip before Friday afternoon or wait until conditions improve on Saturday, and to carry chains either way.

What happened

National Weather Service offices from Eureka to Las Vegas issued or updated watches and warnings on Wednesday, Nov. 11, ahead of a Pacific storm due to reach Northern California on Friday morning. In its afternoon forecast discussion, the NWS Reno office said it had raised its snow totals for the Tahoe area and Mono County compared with earlier forecasts.

A Winter Storm Watch is not yet a warning. According to the National Weather Service, a watch means conditions are favorable for a significant winter storm, while a warning is issued when a significant winter weather event is expected or occurring. As a storm gets closer, the NWS typically upgrades a watch to a warning or an advisory, or cancels it, depending on how the forecast holds up.

Where the winter storm watches are, and how much snow

The table below summarizes each watch as worded in the NWS alert text issued on Wednesday afternoon (Pacific time). Amounts are forecasts and can change.

Area (NWS office) Watch window (PST) Forecast snow Forecast wind gusts
Greater Lake Tahoe Area (Reno) Fri 10 a.m. to Sat 10 a.m. Near 12 inches above 7,000 ft; up to 6 inches below 7,000 ft; up to 20 inches on the crest west of the lake 70 to 90 mph on ridges; 35 to 45 mph in Truckee and lake communities
Mono County (Reno) Fri 1 p.m. to Sat 10 a.m. 1 to 2 feet above 7,000 ft; up to 6 inches from 6,000 to 7,000 ft 60 to 80 mph on ridges; 45 to 55 mph along Highway 395
Northern Sierra incl. I-80, Highway 50, SR 4, SR 108, and Lassen Volcanic National Park (Sacramento) Fri 10 a.m. to Mon 4 p.m. Up to 1 foot above 6,000 ft; up to 2 feet on the highest peaks Up to 60 mph
Yosemite outside the valley, Kings Canyon, Sequoia (Hanford) Fri 4 p.m. to Tue 4 a.m. 6 to 12 inches above 6,000 ft Up to 50 mph
Eastern Sierra slopes of Inyo County (Las Vegas) Fri 1 p.m. to Sat 4 p.m. 5 to 10 inches above 7,000 ft; up to 1 foot near the crest Not specified

Source: National Weather Service Winter Storm Watch statements from the Reno, Sacramento, Hanford and Las Vegas offices, issued Nov. 11, 2026. Table: LiveNewsWorld.

Timeline: when the storm hits

  • Thursday night: The NWS Reno office has a Lake Wind Advisory for Lake Tahoe from 10 p.m. Thursday to 10 a.m. Friday, with gusts up to 35 mph and 2 to 5 foot waves forecast.
  • Friday morning: NWS Sacramento expects rain to spread across the Sacramento Valley, with a Wind Advisory for parts of the valley from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday.
  • Friday afternoon and evening: NWS Reno forecasts the heaviest Sierra precipitation from about 4 p.m. to midnight, with snow levels falling from about 7,500 feet to near 6,000 feet by evening and snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour above 7,000 feet.
  • Early Saturday: The Reno office expects snow levels near 5,000 to 5,500 feet, then clearing on Saturday. NWS Sacramento expects a lull Saturday afternoon and evening before more snow Saturday night.
  • Late Sunday into Monday: NWS Reno describes a second storm as colder but weaker, with lower confidence in snow amounts, and says another storm may follow Wednesday into Thursday.

Why it matters

Interstate 80 over Donner Summit and Highway 50 over Echo Summit are the main routes between the Bay Area, Sacramento and Lake Tahoe or Reno. The NWS offices in Sacramento and Reno both say the storm could affect the Friday evening commute, and the Sacramento office also flags the Monday morning commute. KCRA 3 reported that chain controls will be needed above 6,000 feet from sunset Friday through midday Saturday.

The snow itself is part of the problem. The Reno office calls it “Sierra cement,” a dense, wet snow that the watch statements say can bring down trees and power lines when combined with strong wind. NWS Sacramento adds the risk of localized power outages and near whiteout conditions.

The storm also brings rain to lower elevations after a dry stretch. NWS Sacramento forecasts 0.25 to 1 inch of rain in the valley and up to 2 inches in the mountains and foothills, with a chance of thunderstorms Friday afternoon and evening that could bring heavy rain, lightning, gusty winds and small hail. The Reno office expects a third to a half inch of rain in Reno, Carson City and Minden. ABC7 Bay Area described it as the first moderate storm of the season for the Bay Area.

Dangerous surf on the Northern California coast

Along the coast, the NWS Bay Area office has a High Surf Warning from 6 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Sunday for the San Francisco coast, Big Sur and nearby beaches, forecasting breaking waves of 25 to 35 feet with occasional sets of 40 to 50 feet at favored breakpoints. The NWS Eureka office has a similar warning for southwestern Humboldt and coastal Mendocino counties, from 4 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Sunday, and says a second large swell is forecast late Sunday into Monday. Forecasters urge people to stay off jetties, piers and rocks and out of the water.

How to prepare

  • Check current chain controls and closures on Caltrans QuickMap or by dialing 511 before you leave, as the NWS Sacramento office advises.
  • Carry tire chains, a shovel, a flashlight, blankets, warm clothing, water and a first aid kit, the items the NWS Las Vegas office lists in its watch statement.
  • Treat any downed power line as live and give it a wide berth.
  • Watch for the watch to be upgraded. A Winter Storm Warning means forecasters expect the event to happen, and the NWS says travel can become difficult or impossible.

What happens next

NWS offices will keep updating the watches through Thursday. Whether they become Winter Storm Warnings, Winter Weather Advisories or are dropped depends on how the forecast holds up. The Reno office says details of the second storm, late Sunday into Monday, should become clearer as it approaches. LiveNewsWorld will update this article when the National Weather Service changes the alerts.

For ongoing coverage, follow our U.S. Weather Live center. To understand when a snowstorm becomes something more severe, read our explainer on what makes a blizzard, and find live local TV streams on the Watch Live hub.

Frequently asked questions

What does a winter storm watch mean?

According to the National Weather Service, a Winter Storm Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a significant winter storm, such as heavy snow, heavy sleet or an ice storm. It is a signal to prepare, not a guarantee that the storm will hit as forecast.

When is the worst time to drive over Donner or Echo Summit?

Forecasters at NWS Reno expect the heaviest snow from about 4 p.m. to midnight Friday, and NWS Sacramento says the heaviest snowfall should come Friday night into Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon may bring a lull before more snow Saturday night.

Will Reno or Sacramento get snow?

The NWS Reno and Sacramento forecasts call for rain, not snow, in the valley cities, with snow levels expected to fall to about 5,000 to 5,500 feet by early Saturday.

Sources