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Weather and Your Wedding One of the most common questions we get involves outdoor weddings in Lake Tahoe. What will the weather be like on my wedding day? When is it safe to plan an outdoor wedding in Lake Tahoe? There are no absolute answers to these questions. A general answer would be that you can usually rely on the weather between mid-May and mid-October. If you're planning a casual wedding on the beach where you hope everyone will be able to go swimming, then July and August are your best bet. But keep in mind it can, and often does snow in every month of the year. Often more important than whether it's snowing is what the wind is doing. A cold wind can be much more uncomfortable and persistent than a spring or summer snow shower. And trust me when I say you would much rather have snow than rain during your ceremony. The key is to be prepared for any eventuality that may arise, such as wind, cold, or snow. Now that we've scared you, consider that the summer weather is generally more reliable here than most places on this planet.

Lake Tahoe Weather

Most people outside of the California/Northern Nevada region think of Lake Tahoe as a world class ski destination, and they're right. What most don't know (coming from Florida I certainly didn't) is what a popular summer destination we have here. Actually, the summers bring in more tourists than the winter. Why, you ask. It's simple. The weather is outstanding! When the temperature in Sacramento and Reno nears the century mark, it is approaching 80 here. A typical July day starts off at 40 degrees but climbs rapidly to an average of 79 degrees (averages). Also coming from Florida I was used to the daily thunderstorms that you could set your watch to. Here they are almost non-existent. The main event which could hamper any fun plans would be occasional high wind.
The winters are equally mild, with an average January day ranging from 15 to 41 degrees. Compare that to Vail which ranges from 0 to 31, or Jackson Hole (5 to 28), or Stowe (1 to 25). Mild does not mean we don't get snow. We do, and lots of it. In fact, Kirkwood Mountain Resort averages over 500 inches of snow per season!

Forecast Links
NOAA's Detailed forecast area discussion. Meyers - Typically issued 2 times daily. This will give higher snow totals than other forecasts, since Meyers is closer to the Sierra crest.

Tahoe weather discussion (OpenSnow) - Weather discussion and forecast by local meteorologist and outdoor enthusiast Bryan Allegretto.

10 Day Forecast - Weather.com

NWS 7 Day - Stateline - South Lake Tahoe - Tahoe City - Incline Village - Kirkwood

Custom forecast for Tahoe resorts from Snowforecast.com


Lake Tahoe Radar Links
KCRA interactive Doppler Loop - From local news station KCRA out of Sacramento. Default is 4 hour history but you can change it and view future.


Satellite Links
Weather.com - West Coast US Satellite

GOES 10-West CONUS Infrared - That means Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite #10 West Continental United States

NASA Satellite Images - Interactive Weather Satellite Images

Meteorologist Info - Details on the study of weather and the atmosphere


California and Nevada Road Condition Links
California Road Conditions (just enter the road number when you get there)

All Nevada Road Conditions - includes Spooner Pass, Mount Rose Highway (SR431), Kingsbury Grade (SR207), as well as Highway 395 and more.


Snow Observations
Sierra Avalanche Center - Daily avalanche reports and advisories for the central Sierra, from Sonora Pass north to Yuba Pass

Snotel reporting stations. Customizable  - You decide which one and for what time period. If you've read this far, you deserve to know this is like the Holy Grail.
Carson Pass Echo Peak Blue Lakes

Snow Crystals.com - If your fascinated by snow, you'll love this one.

More Links
El Niño or La Niña info

Dreamflows.com - River flow information.