Heavy snow expected to arrive Wednesday and Thursday in the Sierra has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Winter Storm Warning until late Thursday. Meanwhile, lower valleys around Carson City may see less than an inch of accumulation.
The storm is expected to bring strong gusty winds and rain/snow showers to lower elevations Wednesday through Thursday. Forecasters say the Sierra will see up to 1-3 feet of snow with gusty winds up to 70 mph, making travel across the Sierra difficult. Motorists should be prepared for delays. See NVroads.com for travel conditions.
For Carson City and surrounding counties, forecasters are not expecting much in the way of accumulation, with only a dusting of up to 4 inches above 5,500 feet. Below 5,500 feet, including Carson City, Carson Valley and Reno, there’s an 80 to 95 percent chance of less than 1 inch throughout this whole storm. Mountainous communities such as Virginia City and its Highlands, may see between 2 to 4 inches.
Strong wind is associated with the system, arriving early Wednesday morning and will strengthen as the day progresses, forecasters said. Sierra ridges will see peak gusts of up 100 mph, according to the weather service.
For Western Nevada, peak winds still look to be around 2-5 p.m., with a 60-70 percent chance of exceeding 60 mph, while wind prone areas along US-395 and US-95 could see gusts up to 70+ mph.
A Wind Advisory is in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday for the greater Reno, Carson City and Carson Valley areas and the Western Nevada Basin and Range. A High Wind Warning is in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday for Mineral and Southern Lyon counties.
In higher elevation communities such as South Lake Tahoe and Truckee, there’s a 60 percent chance of exceeding 45 mph.
Additional storms are likely for Friday, as well as the end of the weekend into the start of next week. Check back for updates.
