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Thundersnow, Rain, and Strong Winds Forecasted for Lake Tahoe

Originally posted on Powder | By Matt Lorelli | Last updated Apr 7, 2026 12:38 PM ET

Don't put away the powder skis quite yet, California, a storm is brewing.

The National Weather Service's (NWS) Sacramento office is tracking a Spring storm that is expected to hit Northern California from Wednesday, April 8, through Sunday, April 12, 2026. The storm will bring rain, mountain snow, and the potential for "strong to severe" thunderstorms, especially on Thursday, April 9, and Friday, April 10, 2026.

"Primary threats will be small to severe hail, lightning, heavy rain showers (w/ localized flooding potential over training thunderstorms), and gusty winds," writes the NWS. "Stay tuned for updates as the forecast continues to evolve and can better dial in specific thunderstorm impacts and possibilities."

For skiers, the storm's snow line will be worth keeping an eye on. The NWS is predicting it will fluctuate from as high as 9,200 feet on Wednesday to as low as 6,300 feet (lake level) after midnight on Saturday, April 11. Translation: It's going to rain, snow, rain, and then snow again, just as Tahoe skiers are accustomed to.

The NWS isn't forecasting snowfall totals at this time, but OpenSnow, a popular weather app amongst skiers, is currently forecasting that more than a foot of snow could fall at resorts like Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth, and Kirkwood.

See below for the NWS' Chance of Thunderstorms map for Friday, April 10, 2026. Could Tahoe see thundersnow? There's a chance!

Many popular Tahoe ski resorts, such as Northstar, Heavenly, and Sugar Bowl, have closed for the season due to warm temperatures, but the resorts still hanging on should benefit from the storm, at least up high.

For Palisades Tahoe, expect lots of rain on the lower mountain, but hold out hope for snow on chairlifts like Siberia, Gold Coast, and Shirley Lake. If it's anything like last week's storm, the terrain above 8,000 feet could ski quite nicely after a foot-plus of heavy snowfall.

Palisades Tahoe is expected to host the return of the Rahlves Bonzai ski race and the Cushing Classic pond skim this weekend. Stay tuned for cancellations or rescheduling, depending on how the storm plays out.

Mammoth and Kirkwood might be the best bet for avoiding rain this weekend. Both resorts are expected to receive less rain and, ideally, more snow due to their higher elevations.

At the time of publication, OpenSnow is forecasting 6 inches on Saturday, 14 inches on Sunday, and another 4 inches on Monday for Kirkwood.

Check back in with us later this week for an in-depth forecast from our weather partner, Powderchasers. Their forecast will include powder-chasing recommendations and specific forecasts for each resort.

Happy spring! Who's ready for a little snow?

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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