Winter storm ahead: Snow through Friday likely to impact Carson City commuters
A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for much of the Carson City region with the brunt of the latest storm arriving to the valley floors late Thursday, extending into early Friday and likely to affect morning and possibly evening travel commutes, a National Weather Service forecaster said.
Meteorologists had been watching the storm system and were faced with a choice of either downgrading it to a Winter Weather Advisory or upgrading it to a Winter Storm Warning. Forecasters made the upgrade Thursday morning, due to factors such as timing and travel impacts, said NWS Meteorologist Shane Snyder.
“We were looking at the snowfall timing, the impacts to travel as well as accumulation when extending it to a Winter Storm Warning status,” said Snyder. Lake Tahoe and the Sierra had already been under a Winter Storm Warning, with the weather system moving into the region Thursday afternoon.
The warning upgrade extends for the greater Reno, Carson City and Carson Valley regions, with the potential for it to drop anywhere from up to six inches on the valley floor to a foot above 5,000 feet. Two to 3 feet of snow is expected for the Sierra by Saturday, and up to 4 feet in the highest elevations, according to the weather service.
The warning is in effect from 8 p.m. Thursday night through 11 p.m. Friday. Snyder said heaviest snowfall for the valleys will be in the early morning hours, where accumulation on roadways is expected.
Anyone making travel plans should take note. Motorists south and northbound commuters and motorists are advised that travel will be difficult Thursday night after 8 p.m. through the Friday morning. There will be slight breaks in the snowfall later Friday afternoon but snow showers are expected to be widespread into Friday night, with the potential for more snow accumulation in time for the late afternoon and early evening commutes, said Snyder.
If you must travel, prepare for long delays and carry an emergency kit with extra food, water and clothing. If you stay home, have a backup plan in case of power outages. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 511 or logging onto NVRoads.com.