Carson City area weather: Sharp changes Tuesday with hard freeze, rain and Sierra snow
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 04/29/2019 - 12:03pm
The warm spring weather around Carson City and western Nevada will end Tuesday as daytime temperatures are expected to plummet by 25 degrees or more bringing a hard freeze by late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and the potential for snow showers in the foothills, forecasters say.
"We have a strong cold front moving Tuesday bringing some rain, with temperatures to drop radically, with snow levels, 5,500 to 6,000 feet. We are not looking at much in the way of snow accumulation in the lower elevations through we may see accumulation around 8,000 feet," said Edan Weishahn, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno.
Rain will develop north of I-80 Tuesday morning, then spread south toward US-50 during the day. For Carson City, there's a 50 percent chance of rain Tuesday.
The temperatures will drop below freezing by Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Because of the freezing weather ahead, residents will want to shut off their sprinklers for the time being "or else it will turn into an ice rink," on lawns and gardens, she said.
A Freeze Warning is in effect for the region from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to the weather service.
The cold weather snap will be beneficial in that it will to slow down the snow melt runoff happening now in the higher elevations, she said.
Around Carson City and Carson Valley, highs Tuesday will be in the mid to upper 40s, much cooler compared to recent days. Brisk northwest to north winds will make it feel even colder, she said.
For foothill areas above 5,000-5,500 feet, snow could mix with the rain at times. Light snow accumulations are most likely for higher elevations from Tahoe northward, but for the main Sierra passes, roads should remain wet through the evening.
The commute early Wednesday morning on I-80 in far eastern California, especially around Truckee, may be hazardous, due to freezing fog producing poor visibility and possible slick patches on roads, according to the weather service.
In Carson City, the high temperature for Tuesday is 49. The forecast low for Wednesday morning is 27. Temperatures are then expected to warm up with highs in the low 60s on Wednesday afternoon and low 70s on Thursday.
The weather service urges residents to protect their sensitive vegetation to prevent freeze damage.
