Carson City area weather: gusty winds prompt Red Flag fire weather warning, system brings cooler temperatures
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 09/27/2021 - 7:05am
Gusty winds and low humidity have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag fire weather warning Monday into early Tuesday for Carson City, Douglas, Storey, Lyon and Washoe counties and much of the Sierra Front. Temperatures are also expected to cool down considerably as a cold front passes through the region.
The Red Flag Warning is in effect from 11 a.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday for the following areas: The Lake Tahoe Basin and Sierra Front including Carson City, Douglas, Storey, western and southern Lyon counties, Alpine County, northern Mono and western Mineral counties as well as and far southern Lassen County.
Winds will be out of the southwest to west 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Wind prone areas could see gusts up to 50 mph Monday night. Humidity is expected to range from 10 to 15 percent along and east of US-395 and 15-20 percent west of Highway 395.
The combination of gusty winds and low humidity can cause fire to rapidly grow in size and intensity before first responders can contain them, according to the weather service. Forecasters advise to avoid outdoor activities that can cause a spark near dry vegetation, such as yard work, target shooting, or campfires.
Meanwhile, a cold front will bring much cooler temperatures by the middle of the week. Chances for light precipitation return next week, mainly in northeast California and near the Sierra.
TEMPERATURES:
After a warm weekend, temperatures will fall around 20 degrees by Tuesday-Wednesday. This could result in the coldest high temperatures the region has experienced since May. Sub-freezing temperatures are likely for rural and suburban lower valleys Wednesday morning, possibly a few degrees colder than last week Monday morning. Lows could easily dips into the teens for colder Sierra valleys.
RAIN AND SNOW:
Best chances for rain will be Monday night in the northern Sierra, northeast California, and far northern Washoe
County, but even here liquid amounts will be rather meager. Lighter showers are possible as far south as Hwy 50 in the Sierra and I-80 in western Nevada. A mix of snow is possible down to around 6500 feet elevation, but it`ll be hard to see accumulation.
The following is from the National Weather Service weather discussion issued Monday morning. Go here to read the full report.
The main weather story today is gusty winds with widespread critical fire weather conditions, and impacts on area lakes and to travel, ahead of a moderate cold front moving through the area tonight. Many areas will see southwest wind gusts up to 30-40 mph this afternoon and evening as the incoming cold front moves into northern California.
Winds will shift to the north behind the front with critical fire weather conditions continuing into Tuesday in southern Mono County.
Warm temperatures today will drop significantly on Tuesday behind the moderately strong cold front. Daytime high temperatures on Tuesday will be around 10 degrees below normal with low to mid 60s for most areas. The front moving through the area tonight will keep winds elevated and strong inversions from forming with much colder temperatures expected by Tuesday night.
Light precipitation will be possible from around Reno/Tahoe northward. A few areas near the Oregon border and along the northern Sierra crest have a good chance of receiving a wetting rain with potential up to around 0.3-0.4" near the Oregon border.
For the longer term, temperatures will rebound for the weekend as modest high pressure builds back over the region. Overall this will allow our temperatures to steadily increase back into the 70s to low 80s for western Nevada valleys with mountain valleys rising into the 60s to low 70s. Overnight lows will remain cool with 30s to low 40s expected across W. Nevada and 20s for colder mountain valleys. Lighter winds will also prevail with a general dry and stable southwest flow in place. This will limit precipitation potential at least through the coming weekend.
Fire Weather:
RED FLAG WARNINGS TODAY: Strongest winds expected this afternoon and evening as a cold front approaches the region. Dry conditions and gusty winds will result in widespread fire weather concerns.
Cold front moves through the region tonight into early Tuesday with a wind shift from the southwest to the northwest. Widespread Red Flag conditions are expected today due to gusty winds and low humidity as a cold front approaches the region.
Current forecast and Red Flag warnings remain on track. Widespread gusts of 30-40 mph expected for valleys, with ridgetop gusts up to 75 mph. Minimum RH will be in the 8-15% range with a solid 3-7 hours of windy/dry critical conditions during the afternoon-evening hours.
However, the strongest winds of this event are expected with the cold front tonight into early Tuesday morning. A wind shift out of the N-NW is expected by about 1-4am Tuesday morning for areas north of I-80. This is the period where we could see downslope enhancement of the winds with gusts up to 50 mph particularly along the 395 corridor and eastern slopes of the Carson Range.
Even with increasing RH overnight, the stronger winds will keep the high fire danger going through the night. The front and gusty N-NE winds will continue to track south across western Nevada and S.Sierra through the day. Critical conditions will remain through Tuesday afternoon particularly through the Hammill & Chalfant valleys in southern Mono County with afternoon RH remaining in the teens.
Precipitation will be limited due to the fast moving nature of the front with 0.10-0.25" of rainfall possible mainly north of Susanville through Lassen and far northern Washoe Counties. Localized higher amounts near 0.40" possible near the Lassen-Modoc county line. Even a rain/snow mix is possible above about 6,500 feet Tuesday morning. Otherwise, a few spotty light showers are possible elsewhere.
