Moving at Lake Tahoe in fall

Fall is a short season in the mountains. By the end of October, the first storms are in the forecast, and by November the Truckee station averages 11.9 inches of snow and 28.4 mornings at or below freezing. Many Tahoe households aim to move early in the season, before the ski months fill the roads.

September: the easiest access

September averages a 76.2 F high and a 34.1 F low at Truckee, with 0.63 inches of precipitation and 0.5 inches of snow. Tahoe City reads 70.4 F and 40.5 F. The summer crowds thin after Labor Day, and roads are clear, so September gives the easiest access of the fall.

Plan for cold nights even with warm afternoons, and keep a jacket on hand for early loading.

October and November: winter prep

October at Truckee brings a 64.6 F high, a 27.5 F low, 1.77 inches of precipitation and 2.8 inches of snow. November brings a 50.9 F high, a 21.2 F low, 2.81 inches of precipitation and 11.9 inches of snow. Tahoe City sees 2.4 and 9.4 inches over the same months.

Daylight also drops, with the Sparks warehouse seeing sunsets near 6:22 pm in mid-October and 4:45 pm in mid-November. Aim for early starts.

Chain controls and early storms

• Early storms can bring chain controls to Interstate 80 and US 50; Caltrans describes the R-1, R-2 and R-3 levels.
• Look at Nevada 511 for Nevada roads, including Mount Rose Highway.
• Daylight saving time ends in early November, so evenings begin earlier.
• Ask about a plan for a closed road and your delivery window before you book.
• Move before the first heavy snow if you can.

Closing out the season

Second-home owners close up their houses in fall, and sometimes use storage over the winter. O'Brien's vault storage starts from $40 per month, with the 30,000 sq ft Sparks warehouse about 48 minutes from Truckee. See seasonal and second-home storage.

For related reading, see moving in October, moving in November and movers in Tahoe City.