Heavy Snow — Greater Lake Tahoe Area, California

2025-04-01 · Greater Lake Tahoe Area, California

Event narrative

Heavenly Ski Area reported a storm total of 19 inches for the April portion of the storm. This was a continuation of a storm which began 3/31 and the 3-day total was 25 inches. Palisades ski area reported 14 inches for the same time frame with a 3-day total of 44 inches for the upper mountain, 31 inches for Alpine Base and 25 inches for the Palisades Base. Northstar Ski Area reported 24 inches of snow for the April portion of the storm with a 3-day total of 31 inches. A CocoRaHS observer in Tahoma (0.5 S) reported a new snow total of 16.8 inches. This was a continuation of the storm that began on 3/31 with a 3-day total of 23.3 inches. A CoCoRaHS observers 1.6N of Truckee had a total of 18.8 inches, with a 3-day total of 23.3 inches as well.

Wider weather episode

April began with a 'fool's spring' as Sierra snow shower bands continued with the storm that began in the final days of March. Additional snow amounts ranged from 5-10 inches, with a few higher elevation sites receiving just over a foot of new snow. Elsewhere, high temperatures were only in the 40s for lower elevations while some Tahoe communities remained below freezing on the 1st, about 15-20 degrees below average.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1244426. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.