A trip to Tahoe for the long weekend could get “pretty rough,” the weather service warns

As countless travelers head to the Lake Tahoe area for the three-day Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, forecasters are warning that a storm system moving into the area threatens to create dangerous driving conditions.

“We’re expecting heavy snowfall over the Sierra this afternoon,” said Hannah Chandler-Cooley, meteorologist with the Sacramento National Weather Service, on Friday. Road conditions will be ‘pretty rough’ throughout the weekend as there are several snow laps with few breaks in between.

Travel to the Lake Tahoe area is enticing, with 66 inches of powder at Diamond Peak Resort and several areas that have received more than 2 feet of snow in the past 72 hours, according to OnTheSnow.

in one twitter post, The Weather Service said travel was “strongly discouraged” and it was advised to get off the road by 1pm on Friday.

The area is expected to make “3 to 6 feet of snow possible” between today and Monday, Chandler-Cooley said.

That blanket, combined with strong winds — gusting up to 55 miles per hour — “can create whiteout conditions,” she said.

The persistent snow over the weekend will make it difficult for crews to clear the streets. If drivers feel they need to travel at the weekend, “they should expect significant travel delays and even road closures,” Chandler-Cooley said.

Those who ignore the warnings are urged to “drive slowly and carefully if they must travel,” she said, particularly on Saturday and Monday when conditions are expected to be at their worst.

Travelers should also prepare for the worst and be equipped with chains, an emergency kit, winter clothing and extra food and water in case of prolonged road closures.