Carson City area weather: Snow across region creates travel headaches, more on the way
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Wed, 11/27/2019 - 9:10am
The first big snow storm of the winter season arrived overnight and into Wednesday morning bringing snow to the valley floor and Sierra, causing travel headaches for many Thanksgiving holiday motorists with any number of accidents, fender benders and spinouts.
The Nevada Department of Transportation has been out full force overnight, removing snow and sanding icy slick spots in the roadway. Carson City Public Works is also out on streets with snow removal equipment plowing through busy stretches of roadways along Carson Street, Stewart and Roop streets and side streets.
Chains are required for all Sierra mountain passes. Motorists can expect delays. For travel information and road updates see www.NVRoads.com or called 511. Nevada Highway Patrol, Carson City Sheriff's Office deputies and the Carson City Fire Department responded to multiple spinouts and accidents late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning on I-580, through the Washoe Valley and Highway 50 East and Highway 50 West Spooner. No serious injuries were reported.
As of around 7:50 Wednesday morning Carson City has seen anywhere from 3 to 4 inches of snow on the ground, depending on location, with the foothills getting 4 to 6 inches and the Sierra, thus far, receiving anywhere from 8 to 10 inches around Lake Tahoe and 18 to 22 inches around the Sierra crest and mountain passes, said Scott McGuire, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno. The highest reported amount was at Mammoth Mountain with 22 inches.
"We are expecting snow to continue through Wednesday with some accumulations through today, especially in the Sierra," said McGuire. "On to Thursday and Friday, will see some clearing but still lingering snow showers in the Sierra, with the second storm arriving Saturday afternoon and lasting through Monday. This is definitely a fairly significant storm that will have impacts across the region."
Wednesday is the busiest day of the year for travel and with heavy snowaround the region, the impacts will be significant. The active weather pattern will continue through the week with another storm bringing more gusty winds and yes, more snow.
For the remainder of today through Friday, periods of snow showers will continue, although additional snowfall totals away from the Sierra will be rather light, generally ranging from trace amounts to 2 inches. One exception will be for areas northeast of Lake Tahoe, where bands of lake effect snow could produce several inches of snowfall tonight into early Thursday.
Travel on I-580 south of Reno to Washoe Valley, the Mount Rose Highway, and Geiger Grade to Virginia City will continue to see icy conditions. Delays are expected. For the Lake Tahoe Basin and Mono County along US-395, additional snowfall totals through Thursday afternoon look to range from 5-10 inches, with a foot or more near the crest. Additional snowfall amounts in these areas from Thursday night into Friday will be much lighter, generally 1-4 inches.
Lake Tahoe and the Sierra remains under a Winter Storm Warning, while much of western Nevada, including Reno, Carson City, Carson Valley and into Lyon counties are under a Winter Weather Advisory. Go here for updates from the weather service.
- Carson City
- Carson City Fire Department
- Carson City Public Works
- Carson City Sheriff's Office
- Accidents
- Afternoon
- carson
- Carson City fire
- Carson Street
- City
- county
- day
- deputies
- equipment
- fire
- FRIDAY
- highway
- highway 50 east
- holiday
- information
- Lake
- Morning
- mountain
- National Weather Service
- Nevada
- Nevada Department of Transportation
- Nevada Highway Patrol
- News
- public
- saturday
- service
- sheriff's office
- Sierra
- Snow
- south
- tahoe
- thanksgiving
- The Nevada Department of Transportation
- travel
- Virginia City
- Washoe
- Washoe Valley
- weather
- weather service
- Wednesday
- western
- Winter
- Carson Valley
- Lake Tahoe
- public works
- reno
