A set of winter storms is expected to bring a 1-2 punch to the Sierra and other mountain passes starting Thursday night.

The first of the two systems is much weaker and will bring smaller amounts of snow to the Sierra. The cold front is forecasted to move through the area starting Thursday night. The Reno-Sparks area could see a few snowflakes between 4 p.m. Thursday through 3 a.m. on Friday with no accumulation.

A winter storm advisory is in effect for Donner Pass and the Sierra crest starting Thursday at 10 p.m. and expires at 4 a.m. Friday. This does not include Lake Tahoe or Truckee.

South Lake Tahoe is expected to get roughly 2 inches of snow overnight Thursday. Donner Pass is forecasted to get between 5-8 inches and Truckee about 2.5 inches.

We will see a break in the action most of the day Friday before the second and much larger storm system arrives late Friday night.

On the valley floor, winds out of the southwest will pick up Friday night into Saturday. Wind gusts could hit upwards of 25 MPH. Winds are expected to die off by Sunday. In addition to the winds, the snow will start overnight Friday into Saturday morning. It's forecasted to tapper into a rain or winter mix Saturday afternoon with highs in the 40s. Snow will return on the valley floor Saturday night into Sunday morning.

A winter storm watch is in effect Friday from 10 p.m. to Monday at 4 a.m. for the Sierra and Lake Tahoe Basin. An estimated 30 to 40 inches of snow is expected in the Sierra and roughly 20 to 28 inches forecasted in Truckee. Travel in the Sierra is highly discouraged this weekend due to heavy snow and winds.

The Reno-Sparks and Carson City area could see a total of about 3 inches of snow between Saturday and Sunday.

To see our latest forecast, click here.