Carson City area forecast: Fire danger remains critical; smoke, haze and cooler temps ahead
While cooler temperatures are in the mix with the arrival of a cold front Sunday, continued windy conditions and low humidity will persist throughout much of northern Nevada, creating critical fire conditions and forcing the continuation of a Red Flag warning by the National Weather Service.
Winds will be southwest to west, 20 to 30 mph with gusts 40 to 55 mph again on Sunday. Slight reduction in wind for the valleys Sunday, but mid-slopes and ridges will stay breezy with gusts over 30 mph at times. Ridge gusts up to 70 mph. Winds will shift to the northwest Sunday afternoon and evening behind the cold front.
Wind prone areas such as Washoe Valley or along Highway 50 east of Carson City could see gusts over 55 mph. Winds will shift to the northwest by early this evening behind a cold front. The Red Flag Warning is through 11 p.m. Sunday evening. There's also a Wind Advisory for the Reno, Carson City, Carson Valley region, through 8 p.m.
As for dry air conditions, humidity will be 5 to 13 percent in southern Mono County and the Lahontan Basin with 10 percent to 20 percent elsewhere.
Smoke and haze from the Poeville fire look to affect areas of southern Washoe County, northern Storey and Lyon counties, and much of Pershing County through the day depending upon fire intensity and the resultant smoke plume height. As winds shift out of the north this evening, the plume of smoke and resultant haze will most likely (again, depending on fire intensity) push southeast affecting areas south of Interstate 80 and Highway 50, including the Greater Reno, Carson City and Carson Valley areas.
The combination of strong gusty winds and low humidity can cause fire to rapidly grow in size and intensity before first responders can contain them. Lightning hold-over fires from the last couple days may become large with these conditions.
The weather service advises to avoid outdoor activities that can cause a spark near dry vegetation, such as yard work, target shooting, or campfires. Follow local fire restrictions. Check weather.gov/reno for updates and livingwithfire.info for preparedness tips.
Temperatures around Carson City, Carson Valley and Lyon county areas will be in the mid to upper 70s on Sunday, and low to mid 70s on Monday.
- Carson City
- Afternoon
- carson
- City
- cooler
- cooler temperatures
- county
- day
- fire
- Fire danger
- Fires
- highway
- highway 50 east
- lightning
- local
- lyon county
- May
- National Weather Service
- Nevada
- News
- Northern Nevada
- outdoor
- Outdoor activities
- Pershing County
- Preparedness
- Red
- Red Flag Warning
- service
- Shooting
- Smoke
- south
- strong
- Washoe
- Washoe Valley
- weather
- weather service
- western
- wind
- Windy
- Carson Valley
- GROW
- reno