Cool down ahead: Snow showers may bring dusting above Carson City
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Wed, 09/20/2017 - 11:46am
A strong cold front will bring windy conditions and below average temperatures through the remainder of the week with the possibility of a light mix of rain and snow showers down to 6,000 feet Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures may drop to near freezing in some lower elevation valleys beginning Friday night. Light showers, with a dusting of snow in higher elevations, are possible at times Wednesday night through Friday.
For Carson City, Carson Valley and Reno areas, there's a slight chance of showers Wednesday night, with a low around 40. Thursday will bring another chance for showers, with daytime highs in the upper 50s and night time lows in the low 30s. Friday's high will be around 60 with a low around 30. Saturday and Sunday will bring sunshine, with highs in the 60 to 70.
As for Lake Tahoe and the Sierra area snow, snow levels Wednesday night will remain rather high, limiting any possible light snow accumulations in the Sierra to higher peaks above 8,500 feet near Tahoe and Alpine County and above 9,500 feet in Mono County, according to the weather service.
For Thursday, a secondary shortwave moving into the Sierra could trigger bands of showers near and north of the Tahoe basin during the day, and spreading into parts of western Nevada including the Reno-Carson vicinity, according to the weather service. Snow could mix in at times even down to near 6,000 feet, but accumulations are unlikely on road surfaces.
By Thursday night and Friday, shower coverage will become more sparse as overall moisture decreases and forcing becomes weaker. Friday is the first day of fall.
The coolest temperatures of the week are expected Thursday and Friday. Highs in most lower elevations are only expected to reach the upper 50s to lower 60s, with upper 40s-lower 50s for most Sierra valleys and 30s to lower 40s above 8,000 feet.
Lows could drop into the 30s as soon as Friday morning for some lower elevations with some sites possibly dipping to near freezing if if sufficient breaks in the cloud cover occur, according to the weather service. The potential for freezing temperatures will increase this weekend across more valley areas as drier air spreads over the region with light winds prevailing.
