Storm adds to Sierra snowpack

Tuesday's snow storm dropped more than 2 feet of snow at Lake Tahoe, closing schools there, according to Carl Inman, head custodian at Whittell High School.

"It's a mess," he said about noon Tuesday. "We had a foot of snow by 6 a.m. and now, it's close to 2 feet. It's a good snow."

The snowpack measures between 100 and 130 percent of normal in most areas of the Tahoe Basin and it's climbing. Another storm is expected late tomorrow through Friday and there is no end in sight, according to Shane Snyder, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

"A number of systems are coming through the area, but most are north of Gardnerville," he said. "It doesn't look like we have any big storms coming in, but it's going to stay cool."

That's good news when considering the snowpack, Snyder said.

"The cooler temperatures mean that snow isn't coming down anytime soon," he said. "This time of year temperatures should be in the 50s, but they've hovered in the 40s. We expect temperatures to stay in the high 40s through the week and weekend."

In the Valley, a large broken tree branch downed a power pole near Toler Lane, causing power outages just after midnight Tuesday for about 1,800 customers in Gardnerville along Waterloo and Toler Lanes, Toiyabe Avenue and Chichester Estates.

Part of Gardnerville's downtown area was affected, as well as a few homes in Minden, according to Karl Walquist, spokesman for Sierra Pacific Power Company.

"We replaced the pole and were able to get the line back in service by 1:23 a.m.," he said.

Winds could have initiated the incident, but Walquist could not confirm the reason for the broken branch.

The area forecast calls for partly cloudy weather Wednesday into Thursday.

Scattered snow and rain showers are forecast Thursday evening through Friday and Saturday.

Clearing is forecast for Sunday and sunny skies on Monday, when temperatures are expected to climb to between 47 and 52 degrees.

Susie Vasquez can be reached at svasquez@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 211.