Skiers rejoice, Carson keeps shoveling

Carson City residents are putting their snow shovels to good use while snow sport enthusiasts are enjoying fresh powder almost daily this week.

Snow piled up ski resorts around Lake Tahoe Saturday night, with west shore resort Homewood Mountain reporting new snow depth over a 24-hour period from 11 to 26 inches. Alpine Meadows, also on the west side of the lake, reported 18 to 26 inches. On the east side, Diamond Peak reported 18 to 24 inches while Heavenly at the south end of the lake reported 18 to 20 for a total of 8 feet of snow this month.

The snowy trend should continue with more precipitation expected today by the National Weather Service.

"There'll be heavy snow at times in the mountains around Lake Tahoe," said Mark Brown, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno. The white stuff coating the hills should start falling in Carson City as well later tonight, with low temperatures dropping to the low 30s.

There is a chance of snow or rain showers on Tuesday as well, but not as the weather is expected to mellow out after Monday, according to the weather service.

"By Tuesday it looks like it'll be tapering off quite a bit," said Brown.

Tuesday night, New Year's Eve, is expected to be partly cloudy and colder, with low temperatures in the low 20s.

There is still a chance that snowflakes could grace the start of 2003, however.

Just a slight chance of showers again Tuesday," said Brown. "We're not looking at any great amount of accumulation at all. Maybe a teeny bit."

Carson City should start the new year with warmer temperatures, climbing into the higher 40s. The sky is expected to remain partly cloudy.

And for the rest of the week it should be much the same -- cloudy with a slight chance of showers on Thursday, and cloudy again on Friday. Temperatures on Thursday and Friday are expected to range fro low 20s to high 40s.

Information

For highway conditions, call (877) 687-6237

or go online at: www.nvroads.com

or, on the radio, in Carson City tune into to 1610 am or in Reno or Lake Tahoe, tune in to 530 am.

Nation Weather Service on the net: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/Reno/