The Morning Intel | Tahoe Sector Watch

Location: #HippieHaus | South Lake Tahoe, CA

Date: Friday, December 5, 2025

¡Buenos días, my friends! Cup'O'Joe in hand, #StokeLevel 11.7 as KirkwoodMtn spins the bullwheel today! Opening day at DaWood, with limited terrain, however, that's not the story, it's the grit and tenacity of the Mtn Team that's the headline. Huge ups to the KirkwoodMtn Team, and I'm fired up to make a few hot-laps on a Friday morning. Regionally, MammothMtn, Heavenly, Boreal, and Mt Rose have all been working around the clock when they can to keep refreshing the snow surfaces we have. This weekend, the teams at Squaw (aka Palisades) and Northstar will also open limited terrain. Down south of us, Bear Valley, and China Peak will be open for the weekend, and Dodge Ridge will have a snow-play zone for those that just want to get-up and out for a little sled-fest...

Conditions, well, that's a great question, Firm, machine-made, carvalicious, early-bird gets the cord. Early morning, the conditions are firm on piste, fresh cord. Once you hit mid-morning, conditions change quite a bit as the machine-made is scraped and shuluffed, off to the sides. It's limited, and at times crowded, so be aware of yourself, and others while on the Mtn, my friends... Overnight Mtn Ops teams will (if temps permit) grind out another 12/14hrs of snowmaking power, or not, and the Grooming teams will make the best of what we have, and snow-farm the *&%$# out of the woods looking for every cubic inch of snow to keep us sliding. SO, today, get up, get your daily chores done, and get out and get'cha some in the AM, have the Whip ready for the afternoon Tahoe Mtn loop, or fuel that boat up for a mid-day surf, or if not surfing, keep the SUP on-standby with a 5/4 wetty, and we're liv'n the dream one day at a time #TahoeStyle...

Today's Intel

  • 🚠 Lifts Spinning: Kirkwood (OPENING DAY!), Heavenly, Mammoth, Mt. Rose, Boreal.

  • 🚠 Opening This Weekend: Palisades Tahoe, Northstar, Bear Valley, China Peak.

  • ❄️ Snowmaking: Window CLOSED this morning due to rising temps. Teams maximized the overnight window.

  • ⚠️ Wind Watch: Gusty winds along Sierra ridges today (40-60 mph).

  • 🚗 Roads: Mostly clear, but Dense Fog Advisories in the valley/foothills.

The RS Mindset: The storm door is not open. So, we celebrate the work of the Mtn ops teams and enjoy the clear skies and warmer temps. It's a dual-sport weekend, slide, then ride, paddle, get out for a few sets on the courts, head down to Genoa for a few rounds of golf, or hit the parks at Truckee, Bijou, or down to Lampe for a sick-bowl session. It's up to us to make the best of this amazingly beautiful zone we call home - Tahoe…  

Looking forward to the next 3–7 days:

  • Potential Rain and Snow Outlook: Dry Pattern Dominates. A weak system brushes by this weekend (light showers possible near the Oregon border), but we remain dry. Best shower chances (30-60%) today confined well north of us.

  • Long Range Intel:

  • The Weekend: High pressure remains anchored. Dry and mild weather prevails.

  • Next Week: Warming trend amplifies. Highs could reach 15-20 degrees above seasonal norms (low 60s in valleys!) mid-to-late week.

  • Mid-December: Still hints of a pattern change around the middle of the month, but confidence is low.

  • Snow Levels: N/A (Clear/Dry).

  • Temperatures: Warming Trend. Highs rebounding to the 50s/60s. Lows in the 20s/30s.

  • Winds / Wind Conditions: Breezy Ridges. Gusty winds at times along Sierra ridges this weekend (40-60 mph). Valley winds light.

  • Road Conditions: ALL CLEAR in the Sierra. Watch for Dense Fog on I-80/Hwy 50 in the valley/foothills this morning.

The Weather Ahead | Temperatures | Winds | Winter

Forecasted Temperatures (Today's High / Tonight's Low):

  • #HippieHaus (SLT / 6,380'): 55° / 29°

  • Kirkwood (Base / 7,800'): 49° / 24°

  • Truckee (North Shore / 5,800'): 53° / 22°

  • Mammoth Mtn (Base / 8,900'): 42° / 26°

Timing of wind direction/wind speeds: Gusty ridge winds today/Saturday. Valley winds generally light.

Seven(7) Day forecast (Lake Level Highs/Lows):

  • Today (Fri): 55° / 29° (Sunny, Breezy Ridges)

  • Saturday: 52° / 27° (Mostly Sunny)

  • Sunday: 50° / 25° (Sunny)

  • Monday: 48° / 26° (Sunny)

  • Tuesday: 50° / 28° (Sunny)

  • Wednesday: 48° / 25° (Sunny)

  • Thursday: 46° / 24° (Sunny)

Sierra Avalanche Centers:

Sierra Avalanche Center (Tahoe / Carson Pass):

  • Expires: Friday, Dec 5 at 4:00 PM.

  • Status: #LowTide.

  • Hazard: Shallow obstacles.

  • Discussion: Shallow snowpack with exposed obstacles. Avalanche concerns limited to isolated wind-drifts.

  • Link: https://bit.ly/SierraAvyForecast

Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center (Mammoth Zone):

⚓ Marine Forecast for Lake Tahoe:

  • Status: NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER.

  • TODAY: Sunny. Light winds. Highs around 53. Wave Heights < 1 foot.

  • TONIGHT: Clear. Light winds becoming southwest around 10 mph after midnight. Lows 35 to 42. Wave Heights < 1 foot.

  • SATURDAY: Sunny in the morning, then becoming partly cloudy. Southwest winds up to 10 mph in the morning, becoming light. Highs around 55. Wave Heights < 1 foot.

  • Water Temp: 49.4°F.

  • Mariner Note: Cold Water Safety: 4/3 or 5/4 wetsuit highly recommended.

✈️ Aviation Forecast (Detailed for Pilots):

  • KTRK (Truckee): VFR prevailing. Watch for potential morning freezing fog.

  • KTVL (South Lake Tahoe): VFR. Mostly clear skies.

  • Hazards: Moderate turbulence/LLWS possible due to N/NW FL100 winds (25-35 kts).

Area Forecast Discussions (AFDs) Summaries

For #HippieHaus & Mammoth (NWS Reno):

  • Discussion: "Dry and mild weather prevails... warming trend culminates in temperatures 15-20 degrees above seasonal norms."

  • Wind: "Winds will also become gusty at times along Sierra ridges this weekend with gusts reaching 40-60 mph."

  • Long Range: An Unsettled pattern may emerge mid-month, but confidence is low.

For Carson Pass / KirkwoodMtn Zone (NWS Sacramento):

  • Valley Focus: Dense fog/low clouds in the Central Valley.

  • Mountain Focus: Dry weather and seasonable temperatures.

On this #FreakFlagFlyFriday, we celebrate the opening of Kirkwood! The roads are clear, the sun is out, and while the natural snow is thin, the #StokeLevelRemains high.

Get out there, find your line on the machine-made, and enjoy the day. Each turn today is better than NO turns at all.

Stay'nThirsty for POW

Coop | RS#69

ECMWF AIFS ENS [M] 0.25º 6-hr Precip (in.), MSLP (hPa), 850mb Temp.(ºC)

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ECMWF AIFS ENS [M] 0.25º 500mb Height (dam) and Anomaly - 5 day

A weather map of North America showing height anomalies, atmospheric pressure, and temperature patterns on December 5, 2025. It depicts a high-pressure system over the southeastern US and low-pressure over Canada and the northeastern US, with a cold front extending across the central US and warmer anomalies in the northern regions.

ECMWF AIFS ENS [M] 0.25º QPF 5-day Anomaly (Inches)

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ECMWF AIFS ENS [M] 0.25º 24hr Snow (10:1 Ratio) (Inches)

Weather map showing 24-hour snow accumulation across North America, with significant snow in parts of the northeastern U.S., Canadian provinces, and the western mountains.

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Chair Six(6) Ridge Actual - KirkwoodMtn - 9,100’

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NBM 2.5km West-Conus | 24hr Snow (in)

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NAM 3km | 2m Temperatures - MIN ºf)

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NAM 3km | 24hr Snow (10:1 Ratio) Idaho

NAM 3km | 24hr Snow (10:1 Ratio) Montana

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Cooper Marketing & Media - Lake Tahoe Weather - Daily Lake Tahoe Snow forecasts - Accurate Lake Tahoe Weather | Lake Tahoe Snow and Resort Forecast
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