Gusty winds, low humidity prompt Red Flag Warning for Carson City, surrounding counties
Gusty winds and low humidity Sunday has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag Warning for Carson City and surrounding counties.
The warning is in effect from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday and it includes Northern Sierra Front and much of western and central Nevada.
Forecasters say winds will be from the west, 15 mph to 25 mph with gusts 30 mph to 40 mph. Winds will shift to the northwest this evening and be slow to diminish overnight. Meanwhile, humidity will be low, 8 to 15 percent by afternoon and early evening.
The combination of gusty winds and low humidity can cause fire to rapidly grow in size and intensity before first responders can contain them.
The weather service advises people to follow local fire restriction and avoid outdoor activities that can cause a spark near dry vegetation, such as yard work, target shooting, or campfires.
Check weather.gov/reno for updates and livingwithfire.info for preparedness tips.
Gusty winds will persist for areas south of US-50 Monday, as well as much cooler conditions, with Tuesday morning lows possibly dipping below freezing in Sierra valleys and near freezing for colder western Nevada valleys, forecasters said.
There will be a warming trend for the second half of the week. Daytime highs for lower elevations will return to the 90s to around 100 by next weekend.