The R-C Morning Report

We're under a snow advisory until 7 p.m. today. It has been raining quite a bit overnight with a snow level running about 7,000 feet until the cold front hits and then it will come down like a curtain to the Valley floor sometime this morning. The National Weather Service is predicting up to 1 inch of snow in the Valley and 2-4 inches above 5,000 feet. The snow will taper off to showers by late Thursday. The Weather Service is warning motorists to watch for snow covered roads and limited visibility. Travel conditions will deteriorate rapidly in the Sierra. The peak gust last night in Fish Springs was 34 mph out of the south.

It's 44 degrees and breezy in Genoa before sunrise.

Chains are mandatory over Highway 50 and Interstate 80 so far this morning. Chains or snow tires are required between Tahoe Vista and Truckee, Mount Rose Highway, Highway 50 to Spooner Summit and Highway 88 over Carson Pass so far this morning. There will be more. Most of the controls are higher and to the north so far. There is at present a high wind advisory on Highway 395 through Washoe Valley.

Douglas County commissioners wrap up meeting week with their first session of 2007 featuring new member Nancy McDermid.

Because they're taking up the 10-year master plan update, commissioners are starting work early today, kicking off the meeting at 10 a.m.

The first order of business today is the election of a board chairman. Word on the street is that Chairman Jim Baushke will step aside and that first-term commissioner and vice-chairman Doug Johnson will take the reins.

After that it will be off to the races with a two-hour discussion of the master plan update. There will also be a discussion on expanding the requirement for bear-proof trash cans to the rest of the county.

Speaking of the master plan, we understand that the U.S. Geological Survey water study is in the pipeline and will come out in the next week or two. The Nevada Department of Transportation is holding meetings toward the end of the month on the Highway 395 traffic corridor study.