weather service

There has been a lot of talk this week about the 1997 flood. Twenty years ago, on New Year’s Eve Day, 1996, my Dad and I went goose hunting. We had set out our decoys and had a good early morning hunt, however, it started raining so we packed everything up, leaving the bags of decoys in a dry irrigation ditch.

Snow around western Nevada this Thursday has tapered off to showers and is expected to further diminish through the day, according to the National Weather Service. For the rabbit in the photo above taken by Naida Rass of Silver Springs, the overnight storm brought out the wildlife for a snow day.

Imagine a long, narrow river in the sky about 250 to 375 miles wide, moving along with the weather. It transports water vapor with a flow several times faster than the water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. A river that, when it hits land, releases 30-50 percent of the area's annual precipitation in the form or rain or snow in just a couple of days.

Snowfall in the Carson City area overnight has resulted in road controls on highways throughout the county, the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) reports.

Chains or snow tires are required on Interstate 580 in Carson City and Washoe County, particularly through Washoe Valley. Chains or snow tires are also required on U.S. Highway 50 East through Mound House and West up Spooner Summit, as well as U.S. Highway 395 South through the Carson Valley.

With the current storm still producing rain around the Carson City region, forecasters have turned their attention to the next system that will arrive this weekend bringing warmer conditions, rising snow levels and the potential for flooding.

Some of the best snow to hit the Lake Tahoe Basin is turning into a heavy, water laden snowpack as a strong atmospheric river makes its way through the Lake Tahoe Basin and Northern Nevada. Six to twelve inches of rainfall is expected in the Sierra, prompting a Flood Watch to be in effect for the region.

The sunny skies that teased Carson City on Tuesday morning may be the last for a few days as a series of winter storms are moving into the region that will bring some snow but mostly rain to the valley through early Thursday before clearing out and then starting up again Saturday.

A potent lake effect snowfall band continues to develop Monday across Lake Tahoe and extends along Highway 50 through Carson City and as far east Dayton and Virgina City. It's a part of an active weather pattern that will be around through the week that could bring several feet of snow to the Sierra, according to the National Weather Service.

A cold front expected to move into the Carson City region will bring gusty winds, chilly temperatures and chances for snow showers on New Years Day, according to the National Weather Service.

Law enforcement is preparing for the annual New Year's Eve party held at Stateline, an outdoor gathering that at one time saw 50,000 people in the streets.

A weak storm system will bring a chance of rain and light snow accumulation to the Carson City region Friday night through Saturday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service, with stronger storm systems to begin developing New Year's Day through Tuesday.

A winter storm is moving into the region, bringing snow and slow going travel through the Sierra, with snow spillover expected later today around Carson City with 1 to 4 inches of snow possible, according to the National Weather Service.

With 3 or more inches of snow possible in Carson City and up to two feet expected in the Sierra, holiday travelers heading west over mountain passes may want to get a jump start today on their plans as the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Lake Tahoe and the Sierra beginning Friday morning and a Winter Weather Advisory for western Nevada.

Will snow be on the ground in Carson City by Christmas Day? It is possible, according to the National Weather Service, as a winter storm is expected to arrive bringing rain, gusty winds and snow to the region beginning Friday through at least Christmas Eve.

This video was taken Dec. 11, the day after receiving .65 inches of rain in Carson City. It shows the Mexican Dam on the Carson River getting a good a workout.

Weather wise this week, there will be precipitation-free conditions with strong valley inversions prevailing through Monday, with afternoon temperatures modifying to near average in the Carson City area by Monday.

Overnight rain around Carson City has turned to sunshine, with dry conditions and very cold temperatures expected through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

Gusty winds continue to push into the Carson City area Thursday ahead of a storm system that is expected to bring rain and high elevation snow to the area through Friday.

With the next "atmospheric river" system expected to arrive in the Carson City region in the coming days, forecasters are looking at Wednesday into Thursday for potentially damaging winds and heavy rain in the region.

A large raptor enjoys lunch on a residence wall along West Robinson Street Sunday afternoon in West Carson City.

UPDATE 705AM: The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch now through tonight for Carson City, Carson Valley, Lake Tahoe and Reno. Up to an inch of rain is expected in these areas. A Flood Advisory has also been issued for the following areas for western Carson City, Douglas County and southern Washoe County.

Schools in the Carson City School District are on a one hour delay this Thursday morning due to snow and slick road conditions. Roughly an inch of snow fell around Carson City overnight with some reports of black ice on the roads, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.

Winter weather conditions are shaping up to arrive in Carson City and Sierra this evening and overnight into Thursday morning with more weather systems on the way through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.

Along with cold temperatures settling into Carson City, a winter mix of freezing rain and snow expected to arrive Wednesday night will create travel problems throughout the region into Thursday morning, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Winter Weather Advisory.

Cold air that will push its way into the Carson City area tonight through Tuesday is ahead of a potentially wet atmospheric river system that looks like it may impact northeast California, the eastern Sierra, and western Nevada with rain and snow Thursday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

Light snow showers could create slick driving conditions in Carson City and the Sierra tonight into Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service. While the snow amounts are expected to be light, slick roads could impact the Thursday morning commute.

A layer of fresh, powdery snow fell in the Carson City area overnight into Sunday, blanketing roads and bringing with it frosty early morning temperatures that dipped into the twenties, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno.

Gusty winds and snow expected to arrive in Carson City and Sierra later tonight into Sunday has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Winter Weather Advisory for much of the region.

Those looking to travel over the Sierra will see the best conditions now through Friday night before the next storm system arrives Saturday, bringing snow to the Sierra that should drop to the valley floors into Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.

The first of three winter storms will move into the Sierra tonight, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Winter Weather Advisory for the Sierra from 7 p.m. until 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Though the first system is considered weak to moderate, it will cause significant travel delays in the Sierra due to the Thanksgiving holiday week and heavy traffic volume, according to the weather service.

This weekend’s snow storms delivered as much as 11 inches of fresh snow to the resorts around the Lake Tahoe basin, enough to prompt three resorts to open during the Thanksgiving holiday week.