Avoid travel if possible from late Wednesday afternoon through Thursday night. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

WINTER CONDITIONS RETURN TO THE SIERRA AND NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA FOR MID-LATE WEEK... .After a few days of warm weather, a potent winter storm will bring windy and colder conditions with periods of heavy snow to the Sierra and higher elevations of northeast California later this week. Winds will pick up by late Wednesday morning, then travel conditions will begin to worsen late Wednesday afternoon and evening, with the most widespread winter travel impacts likely from Wednesday evening through much of Thursday. ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM WEDNESDAY TO 10 AM PST FRIDAY... * WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Snow accumulations 10 to 20 inches above 7000 feet, with 20 to 30 inches near the Sierra crest. Below 7000 feet, 5 to 10 inches are expected, except up to 16 inches west of CA-89. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph, with gusts around 100 mph for Sierra ridges. Wave heights 2 to 4 feet on Lake Tahoe Wednesday and Wednesday night. * WHERE...Greater Lake Tahoe Area. * WHEN...From 10 AM Wednesday to 10 AM PST Friday. Heaviest snow is most likely from Wednesday evening through Thursday morning. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible with snowfall rates of 2 or more inches per hour at times. Hazardous conditions will impact the commutes from Wednesday evening through Friday morning. Strong winds may blow down some tree limbs and a few power outages may result. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds will increase late Wednesday morning, with snow developing by late afternoon near the Sierra crest passes. Snow levels will start between 6500 and 7000 feet Wednesday, then drop to near Lake Tahoe level Wednesday night and all Tahoe area valleys by Thursday morning.