Avalanche — Greater Lake Tahoe Area, California
2026-01-05 · Greater Lake Tahoe Area, California
1
Direct deaths
Event narrative
A group of snowmobilers triggered an avalanche near Johnson Peak and Castle Peak north of Truckee. One snowmobiler was fully buried and killed.
Wider weather episode
A strong winter storm impacted the region from the 3rd to the 5th of January. This produced between 1 to 2 feet of snow in the Tahoe Basin with 2 to 4 feet for the higher elevations. This system also produced winds upwards of 90 mph on the ridges, with gusts commonly upwards of 55 mph elsewhere.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1308567. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.