Carson City area weather: Storms lined up to bring rain and snow to Sierra and lower valleys

UPDATE MONDAY: A series of storms will move through the region this week with the strongest storm impacting the region late Wednesday through Thursday. Several feet of snow are possible above 8,000 feet with up to 2 feet of accumulation down to 6,000 feet in the Sierra. Periods of rain and snow are expected in the lower elevations of northeast California and western Nevada Wednesday through Thursday.

SIERRA: Occasional light snow showers are expected Tuesday into Tuesday evening before becoming widespread and heavier Tuesday night. The snow will be heavy at times, especially late Wednesday through Thursday. The snow may briefly change to rain below 6500 to 7000 feet Wednesday night before changing back to snow. Winds will be gusty at times Wednesday and Thursday with ridge gusts of 60 to 80 mph Wednesday, increasing to 100+ mph Thursday. Localized blizzard conditions are possible on Thursday in the Sierra.

LOWER VALLEYS: A few snow showers are expected Tuesday with little to no accumulation for western Nevada. Keep in mind that even minor accumulations can bring traffic concerns. Some locations could see problematic commutes Tuesday morning and evening, while others will remain free of snow. Snow will change to rain by Wednesday. Rain late Wednesday and Thursday may produce amounts up to 1 inch.

FOOTHILLS AND VIRGINIA CITY: Accumulations could be non-trivial on Thursday for the North Valleys of Reno, foothills west of Highway 395, and for Virginia City. Currently, a few inches of snowfall is possible for these locations. Forecast certainty for these locations is lower than average as it will depend on how fast snow levels fall Thursday.

Significant impacts are expected in the Sierra with road closures possible Tuesday night through Thursday. There is the potential for moderate impacts at times down to around 5000 feet in western Nevada, especially
Thursday. IF YOU HAVE TRAVEL PLANS PAY ATTENTION TO THE FORECAST and have contingency plans in place.
***
Weather systems headed to the Carson City and Lake Tahoe region will make for a week of wet weather as rain and snow showers are expected in the mountains and lower valleys, according to the National Weather Service.

For the lower valleys and Sierra, rain and snow showers may begin to arrive Monday afternoon, increasing through the afternoon and evening hours. While it is possible for snow to arrive on the valley floors late Monday night, it isn't, at least at this time, in the forecast to accumulate. There's a 30 percent chance of rain and snow showers Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Some Sierra snow showers are expected Tuesday into Tuesday evening before becoming widespread Tuesday night. The snow will be heavy at times, especially Wednesday afternoon through Thursday. Driving conditions will be impacted in the mountains and possibly down to the valley floor by Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, a few snow showers are expected Tuesday with little to no accumulation for western Nevada. For west-central Nevada, there's a chance for up to 2 inches of snowfall Tuesday. Snow will change to rain by Wednesday. Rain on Wednesday and Thursday may produce amounts up to 1 inch.

The big storm is expected to arrive in the Sierra Wednesday with several feet of snow are possible above 8,000 feet and up to 2 feet down to 6,000 feet in the Sierra. Periods of rain and snow are expected in the lower valleys of northeast California and western Nevada Wednesday through Thursday.

The snow may briefly change to rain below 6,500 feet Thursday morning before changing back to snow. Winds will be gusty at times Wednesday and Thursday with ridge gusts of 60-80 mph Wednesday, increasing to 100-plus mph Thursday.

Significant impacts are expected in the Sierra with road closures possible Tuesday night through Thursday, with potential moderate impacts in the lower valleys at times.

The Tuesday evening commute may be impacted, so check back in the coming days for further details. Snow will continue to increase through Wednesday, with the heaviest snow expected Thursday. Strong southwest winds and heavy snow may cause localized blizzard conditions on Thursday in the Sierra.

There will be no defined break in the weather this week to travel over the passes, so make preparations or alternative travel plans now, as major travel impacts are expected, particularly on Thursday. Stay up to date with the most current forecast as we progress through the week and more details are ironed out.

Updated state road conditions, including winter road closures and incidents, are available by calling “511” or logging on to nvroads.com. Motorists can also view live traffic cameras and sign up for free traffic alerts for their state road commute.