Another storm to hit Tahoe — Kirkwood latest to announce opening

After a series of winter storms enabled the kickoff of California’s ski season, another blast of snow is expected in the Sierra this weekend. Tahoe ski resorts are forecast to get up to a foot of fresh powder at their summits late Saturday or early Sunday, adding to a two-foot base already on the ground in some places — and more where snow machines are operating. “We picked a great weekend to start spinning the lifts,” said Russ Pecoraro, a spokesman for Vail Resorts, which plans to open runs at Kirkwood, Heavenly and Northstar on Saturday. For most spots, this is the earliest launch in years as California’s prolonged drought has dried up mountainsides and truncated the ski season. Many operators are hopeful that the El Niño weather pattern that’s expected to send rain to Southern California this winter will bring snow to the Sierra.