Weak weather systems to arrive Wednesday, lack precipitation to help Sierra snowpack
Weather watchers haven’t been doing cartwheels and somersaults over two brief weather systems that may bring light rain and high elevation snow into the Sierra and Western Nevada region by Wednesday.
Calling them “quick moving disturbances” the National Weather Service in Reno says the systems should begin to arrive late tonight into Wednesday bringing gusty winds and some precipitation, though the likelihood is the northern Sierra and north of Interstate 80 in western Nevada.
If the systems should trickle further south, snow levels will start out high, and lower some to around 6,000 to 7,000 feet. Nothing significant to help build snowpack.
Slushy conditions are possible for Sierra passes early Wednesday morning but higher snow levels later in the day will likely allow rain to melt the snow on the roads. A mix of rain and snow is still possible around lake level at Tahoe early Wednesday but shouldn’t stick on area roads.
For Carson City and Carson Valley, a tenth-of-an-inch of rain is possible. There’s a 50 percent chance of rain Wednesday and 30 percent Wednesday night, for Dayton, the chance lessens, a 30 to 40 percent chance.
Warm and dry conditions will return on Thursday as high pressure strengthens across the Sierra and Western Nevada.