Whether you are planning a visit to Lake Tahoe in winter, spring, summer, or fall, you need to know what kind of weather to expect. With the unique landscape, the weather varies quite a bit year-round depending on your elevation, but you can get a general idea of what type of clothing to pack in your suitcase by looking at the average weather for the area.
The annual precipitation, including both rain and snow averages to be about 55 inches in the watersheds on the west side of the basin to about 26 inches near the lake on the east side of the basin. The vast majority of precipitation is in the form of snowfall between the months of November and April. Snowfall at lower elevations averages about 215 inches per year at lower elevations, and between 300 to 500 inches per year at higher elevations. Rain showers as well as snow melt in the spring and early summer months can cause localized flooding at times.
From November through March during the main ski season, you can expect high temperatures in the 40s and low temperatures in the teens and twenties. Spring and fall months bring transitional temperatures to the summer highs in the 70s and lows in the 30s and 40s. Freezing temperatures are not uncommon every month of the year.
Lake Tahoe is a beautiful place to visit any time of year, offering you wonderful temperatures for a variety of outdoor recreation in the warmer summer months, as well as a fabulous winter experience in the cooler months.
