Shift in winds could push drift smoke from Park Fire into Carson City, surrounding counties
Dry conditions and seasonal temperatures will continue this weekend, with the potential for smoke from the Park Fire moving into western Nevada region, including Reno, Carson City, Carson Valley, Lyon and Storey counties if there is any deviation in wind direction, according to the National Weather Service.
The trajectory of drift smoke from the Park Fire, burning near Chico, Calif., is beginning to move south. The latest simulations show the smoke trajectory sweeping across portions of northeastern and northwest Nevada over the next several days, with the heaviest smoke targets in central and northern Washoe County, and also into Pershing and Churchill counties.
The National Weather Service in Reno advises people concerned about drift smoke to keep an eye on fire.airnow.gov for the latest air quality measurements.
Any deviation in the wind direction may provide a more direct trajectory of the wildfire smoke into the Sierra and western Nevada, Carson City and surrounding counties so be aware of the risk, according to the weather service.
The Park Fire, an arson fire that started July 24, has burned more than 350,000 acres in Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties in northern California, with 12 percent containment as of early Sunday morning, according to CalFire.
Drier and cooler conditions have arrived for the weekend. More typical for late July temperatures will stick around through midweek next week. Highs for the lower valleys will be in the upper 80s to low 90s with highs in the Sierra in the 60s. Typical afternoon westerly breezes return each day with gusts 20 to 30 mph possible along the Sierra Front. Plan on dry conditions with no precipitation forecast through the weekend and into early next week.
Temperatures begin to creep upwards again by mid-week and into next weekend. Ensemble cluster forecasts show high pressure amplifying across the West, possibly centered near the four corners region, which would bring a return of heat as well as thunderstorms by late week into next weekend.