New storm heads for Sierra

RENO -- Another winter storm was headed Thursday for much of the northern Sierra and Lake Tahoe, where another foot or so of snow was expected at lake level by Friday and up to 2 feet at higher elevations.

Between 2 and 4 inches of snow was forecast for the valley floors in Reno and Carson City by Friday morning, the National Weather Service said.

Blowing snow was expected to reduce visibility with winds gusting up to 45 mph in the valleys and up to 100 mph over mountain ridges.

"It will be a fairly quick-moving system, with Tahoe and Truckee (Calif.) north getting the most precipitation," said Jessica Kielhorn, a meteorologist for the weather service.

A winter storm warning was set to go into effect from 4 p.m. Thursday to 10 a.m. Friday at Lake Tahoe and the northern Sierra.

A winter weather advisory was scheduled for 10 p.m. Thursday to 10 a.m. in Reno and Carson City, and extending to 4 p.m. Friday at points east, including Fernley, Fallon and Lovelock.

The latest storm is part of a larger system of Arctic cold air that has gripped much of California and Nevada, with temperatures in the Sierra staying below freezing since Saturday.

A record low of 11 below zero was reported on Wednesday at South Lake Tahoe, Calif., that broke the old mark of 10 below set on Dec. 17, 1984.

Another storm is expected to arrive Sunday night.

"There's even the possibility of a white Christmas with another storm," Kielhorn said.