South Lake Tahoe Raley's roof collapses as more snow hits the Sierra
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE – As another round of snow hits the Sierra, a popular supermarket was forced to close its doors.
The city of South Lake Tahoe reported the Raley's on Lake Tahoe Boulevard closed because of structural concerns.
Instead of finding shopping carts, customers saw caution tape surrounding the location near the California-Nevada state line.
"Honestly, it's a little shocking. We knew there was a lot of snow on the rooftops but just didn't expect it because we didn't hear anything about it as we're staying just across the street," said Ericka Murphy, who was visiting from Manteca.
Why would a storefront sit empty in what is considered the hub of South Lake Tahoe?
On Saturday, city officials reported the building had been evacuated because of structural concerns and for the safety of employees and shoppers.
Meanwhile, the winter wonderland presents other hazards. Snow loads are one thing but then there is also melting snow. Tourists could see caution tape near pedestrian walkways warning of ice slabs possibly falling from roofs.
There are also street flooding and massive pothole concerns throughout the city.
The ride into town was dicey at times for visitors traveling on Highway 50.
"That was a white-knuckle experience," said William Morrison as he recounted his drive Saturday.
The severe weather was even too much for ski resorts like Heavenly, which shut down operations Saturday but reopened Sunday.
"It was a little bit of a slush fest on the bottom," said Rosie Catanoso, a visitor from Virginia Beach. "At the top, there were some decent conditions, but we made it work – we got some runs in."