Lake Tahoe dips to near-freezing temperatures on Labor Day weekend

The chilly weather is the polar opposite from last year’s heat wave

Unseasonably rainy weather pelted Lake Tahoe during one of the region’s busiest tourist times, and forecasters predicted a significant drop in temperatures at the start of the week.

Temperatures nearing freezing were predicted for Monday morning, which Mark Deutschendorf, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Reno station, said “has happened [before], but it’s still well below average.”

Tourists who planned to soak up the sun one last time before summer ended were set to awaken Monday to temperatures in the 30s and 40s.

On Friday and Saturday, nearly an inch of rain fell in Tahoe, and the cool, cloudy weather continued on Sunday, with showers and possibly a thunderstorm expected through the night. The weather was caused by a low-pressure system that originated in British Columbia and moved down to the region.

This weekend is the polar opposite of last year’s heat wave in Lake Tahoe, according to Deutschendorf. Over Labor Day weekend in 2022, the lake experienced some of its highest temperatures of the summer, reaching 93 degrees.

According to Deutschendorf, the average temperature for this time of year is around 70 degrees.

“It’s definitely 30 to 40 degrees cooler, compared to the highs we had just one year ago, on the same holiday weekend,” Deutschendorf said.

Labor Day attracts a large number of campers and other visitors looking for one last summer vacation. The campsites at Tahoe State Recreation Area close for the season on September 5.