lightning

Rare lightning storm in Carson City on Friday night.

It was an eventful year around the Carson City region notwithstanding the limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's some notable stories that were not pandemic related that happened in 2020.

UPDATE: A wildfilre that started Saturday night continues to burn southwest of Topaz Lake in Mono County on the Bridgeport Ranger District, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

A Red Flag Warning in effect Tuesday for the northern Sierra Front including Carson City, Douglas, Storey, Southern Washoe, Western Lyon and southern Lassen counties. Also, poor air quality has returned as winds have shifted, again bringing more drift smoke from California fires into the northern Nevada region.

UPDATE: The fire is under control, according to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center.
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UPDATE 11:07AM: Fire crews on scene have kept the fire from spreading and a helicopter has been called into help fight the fire, according to KOLO. No structures are threatened.
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UPDATE 8:40AM: Resources are on scene of a single tree fire in Washoe Valley west of Bowers Mansion. The #BowersFire is a-quarter of an acre in brush and timber and was caused by lightning in the area, according to the U.S. Forest Service. No structures were threatened, fire officials said.

With the threat of thunderstorms creating new fire starts, a Red Flag Warning has been issued Sunday evening into Monday morning by the National Weather Service for Carson City, the Lake Tahoe Basin and throughout the entire Northern Nevada region.

A Heat Advisory issued by the National Weather Service for the Carson City area and many valleys of western and west-central Nevada was extended through Wednesday night as the entire region experiences typical yet extremely hot August temperatures, dry conditions, afternoon thunderstorms and the ongoing threat of wildfires.

Finally got my first lightning capture today.

Scattered showers and fast moving thunderstorms have developed Monday afternoon around Carson City, Carson Valley in Douglas County and along some portions of the Sierra front.

The Loyalton Fire north of the California, Nevada state line has burned 36,295 acres and is 5 percent contained as of Monday morning, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire, which is believed to have started by lightning, has destroyed 5 homes and six outbuildings.

Hot dry weather along with isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms ahead have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag fire weather warning and a heat advisory for the Carson City area and throughout northern Nevada.

Gusty winds, low humidity and the threat of thunderstorms have prompted the National Weather Service in Reno to issue a Fire Weather Watch for Carson City, Carson Valley and much of the Northern Sierra Front beginning Tuesday afternoon and extending into Wednesday evening.

More thunderstorms are on the way for northern and western Nevada and the Carson City, Carson Valley region with the potential for stronger thunderstorms and associated lightning strikes Monday, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a Red Flag Warning.

UPDATE 5:57PM: Fire crews have knocked down the Topsy Fire and are mopping up hotspots, according to fire officials. The cause of the fire is under investigation. It was noted that there were a number of lightning strikes in the area shortly before the fire started.
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UPDATE 5:05PM: A Carson City Fire Department battalion chief noted the threat to structures has been reduced as the weather is cooperating, crews are hammering it and the helicopter water drops are working. Carson Now publisher Kirk Caraway, who is on scene of the fire, notes the choppers are circling the area, dumping water on hotspots.
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UPDATE 4:54 PM: Evacuations are happening for homes in the area north of Topsy Lane near the Carson City county line. While the larger column of smoke has been reduced some, firefighters on scene report the fire is continuing to move at a rapid clip, fueled by gusty winds.
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UPDATE 4:38PM: The Topsy Fire is moving in a northerly direction, being pushed by winds, near the Douglas County, Carson City line. It continues to burn out of control. Battalion chiefs on scene have requested immediate air tanker support to fly in to drop retardant on the fire.
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East Fork Fire and Carson City Fire Department were called Thursday afternoon to a fast moving brush fire south of Carson City near Indian Hills, Highway 395 north of Topsy Lane.

Thunderstorms arriving into the region Wednesday have brought a number of calls for downed trees, power lines, outages and a fire reported in the Silver Springs area of Lyon County.

Another round of strong thunderstorms are expected to pass through the Lake Tahoe, Carson City and western Nevada region Wednesday, bringing with them a risk of lightning generated wild land fire starts, gusty winds, rain, hail and flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service.

UPDATE 5:30PM: A brush unit from Carson City Fire Department, called for a mutual assist in Douglas County, has been called back to quarters as East Fork Fire Protection District indicates it may have a handle on the lightning sparked wildfires earlier. Volunteer fire engines in the East Fork Fire Protection District were also released. East Fork and BLM brush units remain in fire start areas.
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East Fork Fire Protection District and Carson City Fire Department were called Tuesday afternoon to multiple wild land fires, likely caused by lightning strikes.

UPDATE 4:39PM: A Flash Flood Warning was issued at 4:28 p.m. for Douglas and Lyon counties and Carson City. Also, firefighters are responding to a number of wild land fire starts in Douglas County. Go here for updates on the fire situation.
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Strong to potentially severe thunderstorms are possible through 9 p.m. Tuesday across the eastern Sierra, western Nevada and Carson City region, according to the National Weather Service.

As it has been over the past few days, showers and thunderstorms have developed Monday afternoon over the Sierra, with an increased chance of storms expected to impact much of the region though the evening, according to the National Weather Service. The stronger of the storms will be capable of producing heavy rain, hail, and winds in excess of 40 mph.

Another round of thunderstorms began to move into the Sierra from the south on Sunday afternoon. A National Weather Service forecaster noted the storms could enter into the valley areas of western Nevada into early evening, bringing with them the potential for heavy rain, hail and wind.

Thunderstorms have begun to move into the Sierra and western Nevada region Thursday afternoon, bringing with them lightning, periods of heavy rain and a risk of flash flooding and debris flows in recent wild land fire burn areas.

The potential of afternoon and evening thunderstorms around the Carson City region and much of western Nevada has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Fire Weather Watch as well as raise concern for the potential for flash flooding near recent wildfire areas.

Sierra Front Team 1 and assigned units made good progress Saturday on the Monarch Fire burning in the Pine Nut Mountains east of Gardnerville, Nev. The Monarch Fire was reported at 12:41 p.m. on June 24, 2020, and is burning three miles south of Sierra Spirit Ranch in Douglas County.

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.

As of Friday morning, the Monarch Fire in Douglas County near Fish Springs and Pine Nut Road is covering a total of 2,500 acres.

With thunderstorms developing well to the south of Carson City earlier this afternoon, the National Weather Service is advising storms remain a possibility in the region into Thursday evening.

UPDATE 3:39PM: The Monarch Fire is approximately 2,500 acres and currently 5 percent contained. No structures are immediately threatened at this time and the fire is believed to be lightning caused from the previous day. Responding agencies include East Fork, Central Lyon, North Lake Tahoe, North Lyon, Story County, Tahoe Douglas and Truckee Meadows Fire Protection Districts, Reno Fire Department, Bureau of Land Management, Nevada Division of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service.
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As of 9:45 a.m. Thursday morning, the fire in the Pine Nuts in Douglas County, which has been named the Monarch Fire, now covers a total of 1,794 acres.

Multiple agencies are on scene to try and control the fire which is thought to have been caused by a lightning strike during yesterday’s thunderstorm.

Isolated thunderstorms are possible again Wednesday afternoon in the Sierra and western Nevada region, according to the National Weather Service.

Thunderstorms have developed over Lake Tahoe and Sierra with the potential of moving into western Nevada, Carson Valley and Carson City areas.

Carson High School is pleased to announce individuals who have excelled in their positions as Educational Support Professionals and have been recognized for their works of merit by their peers and coworkers. The ESP employees from CHS are those individuals who enable teachers to focus on the teaching of their students, and every teacher knows that without them, a school could not hope to function.