Lake Tahoe Weather Trends and Current Weather Conditions
Weather in South Lake Tahoe
With an average of 278 sunny days a year, the chances are high that you will enjoy great weather conditions during your summer and winter vacations. Use our dashboard to stay up-to-date on the weather and road conditions in Lake Tahoe.
Road conditions around Lake Tahoe can change dramatically with the seasons and even by the hour, making it essential for visitors to check current chain requirements and weather advisories before traveling. Make sure you know about winter driving in South Lake Tahoe, and use these highway webcams to prepare for your trip.
Lake Tahoe’s weather ranges from snowy winters perfect for skiing, to mild spring days ideal for hiking among wildflowers, to warm summers made for beach activities and water sports, to crisp fall afternoons that showcase stunning foliage—making each season uniquely enjoyable for visitors and locals alike. Summer can reach average highs of 80 degrees, while winter can have average lows as cold as 26 degrees. Lake Tahoe offers countless things to do year-round, making it an incredible four-season destination.
Month
High / Low (°F)
Avg. Precipitation
January
44° / 26°
6 Days
February
45° / 26°
5 Days
March
49° / 28°
6 Days
April
55° / 32°
3 Days
May
63° / 37°
3 Days
June
73° / 44°
1 Day
July
80° / 50°
1 Day
August
79° / 50°
1 Day
September
74° / 46°
1 Day
October
63° / 38°
2 Days
November
51° / 31°
4 Days
December
44° / 26°
5 Days
Fire and Smoke Map for Lake Tahoe
During fire season, real-time smoke and fire maps help Lake Tahoe visitors monitor air quality and active wildfires in the region. Click on these interactive maps for more information.
Additional wildfire information is available through the Watch Duty App.
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The average annual snowfall at Lake Tahoe is 271″. Different parts of the lake can average different snowpacks but the entire region is known for getting vast amounts of snowfall every year, making it a world class skiing and snowboarding destination.
Lake Tahoe can get pretty cold when the lake is being fed by snowmelt, however by mid-summer, the average surface temperature of the water can be as high as 65-70° F and the average air temperature usually remains around 69 – 77° F.
In the winter, the surface temperature of Lake Tahoe typically averages between 40-50° F. The large volume of water of the lake compared to its surface area prevents it from freezing in the winter time. Average air temperatures in the winter typically reach as high as 44° F and can dip as low as 25° F. Lake Tahoe offers are wide array of winter sports and activities making it an exciting destination, regardless of the snowpack.
While every snow season can be different, Lake Tahoe typically sees the largest snowfall between January and March. In some years a large amount of snow falls during the month of March, bolstering the snowpack through the end of the ski season.