Potential for drift smoke returning to Carson City, western Nevada as winds fuel California fires
Increased fire activity in northern California and a return of modest west winds may bring a return of haze and smoke to the Carson City, Lake Tahoe and western Nevada region that could linger for the next couple days, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.
After a few days of seasonable fall weather with northeast to east breezes, high pressure over California is projected to drift northeast and become centered over far northern Nevada by Wednesday and Thursday.
This will push daytime temperatures upward to 10-15 degrees above average beginning Tuesday with highs well into the 80s to near 90 degrees for most lower elevations and lower 80s for Sierra valleys continuing through Thursday, according to the weather service.
Nights will remain at typical cool values for the September to October transition, mainly 40s to lower 50s, except 30s for Sierra valleys and typically cooler low elevation valleys, due to persistent dry air mass and light winds.
The other main effect of this building ridge will be related to the return of smoke and haze areas from the resurgent fires over parts of northern-central California as flow over the Sierra becomes light from the southwest.
This initial push from the Sierra to parts of western Nevada through Tuesday afternoon may be more haze aloft, with only minor reductions in air quality. Later Tuesday, smoke transport models indicate a push of more concentrated smoke from the North Complex spreading across Plumas and southern Lassen counties, then settling into far western Nevada this evening and overnight, likely producing more air quality concerns.
Also, increased amounts of smoke from the Creek fire are expected to spread into southern Mono County later Tuesday afternoon and evening.
As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, Airnow.gov showed air quality in Carson City, Carson Valley, Gardnerville in the "good" zone, while Reno-Sparks was in the "moderate" zone. Readings for the South Lake Tahoe area were in the "good" range at 10 a.m. but smoke can be seen wafting over the Lake Tahoe Basin at 11:45 a.m.
For Wednesday and Thursday, a return to light northeast flow in the afternoon should limit additional smoke pushes into the region. However, the smoke and haze already in place Wednesday morning may be slow to disperse due to these light winds, so air quality concerns could last into part of the afternoon for some locations.
Thursday appears to trend toward a general improvement, although some haze aloft is likely to linger especially for the eastern Sierra and far western Nevada.
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