Christmas Eve brings snow to Bay Area mountains, Lake Tahoe

LAKE TAHOE (KGO) -- Skiers and snowboarders are enjoying all of the snow that has fallen in Lake Tahoe.

In the Bay Area, some peaks are getting a little dusting of snow. There have been reports of snow at Mount Hamilton in the South Bay. And in Mendocino County, snow covered mountains in Covelo.

However, all of the snow that has fallen in Lake Tahoe has prompted an Avalanche advisory for parts of the Sierra.

The Sierra Avalanche Center said natural avalanches are unlikely, but they could be triggered by people due to all the fresh snow.

READ MORE: Multiple tornadoes reported across Northern California

The National Weather Service in Reno says Thursday's storm was expected to dump as much as 22 inches of snow along highway passes and up to 15 inches in Truckee and the Tahoe Basin.

The National Weather Service in Reno says Thursday's storm was expected to dump as much as 22 inches of snow along highway passes and up to 15 inches in Truckee and the Tahoe Basin.

Forecasts had called for snow to accumulate at elevations as low as 2,000 feet.

The white Christmas Eve was welcomed by Tahoe ski resorts and the visitors already at them. But Caltrans said poor visibility required vehicles to be turned back on Interstate 80 at one point, while a hail storm stopped traffic on U.S. 50.

Chains are now required for parts of Interstate 80 and Interstate 50. The CHP is warning drivers they could face delays.

Elsewhere in California, the storm produced a tornado that touched down briefly in El Dorado County but did not cause any injuries.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

If you plan on hitting the slopes this season, tag your photos and videos on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook with #abc7now.