The first wet storm of the spring is moving into the Sierra where record snowfall already has reservoirs releasing water early to guard against potential flooding in northern Nevada well into the summer.
The National Weather Service says 4 to 8 inches of snow is possible Tuesday on the highest mountain passes, including the Mount Rose Highway southwest of Reno and Donner Pass on Interstate 80, west of Truckee, California.
Forecasters don't expect any immediate flooding but another round of mountain snow and valley rain is expected Friday and Saturday.
A week of unusually warm weather helped accelerate snowmelt in the mountains around Lake Tahoe, where the Mt. Rose Ski Resort already has recorded a season-record 56 feet of snow.
The Truckee, Carson and Humboldt rivers currently are flowing at rates more typical of season-high peaks in May.
