Carson City area weather: Windy, valley rain and mountain snow possible this weekend
Like a carbon copy of last weekend but not as cold, another storm system will move into the Carson City area and surrounding counties this weekend, bringing breezy conditions, cooler temperatures, and periods of valley rain and mountain snow to the region, according to the National Weather Service.
Gusty winds had begun to reach the region Thursday afternoon ahead of the storm, with gusts 60 to 80 mph along the Sierra expected throughout the weekend and anywhere from 35 mph plus for the valleys. As of the time of this writing, there are no storm advisories or watches in effect, though there is a Lake Wind Advisory from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday for the greater Lake Tahoe area.
Mountain snow
As for mountain snow, the greatest snowfall totals will be confined to the Sierra crest. Latest forecast totals have 4-12 inches along the crests with higher totals hedging toward Mono County. Western Nevada foothills range from a trace to a few inches of snow while the inner Nevada ranges have between 1 to 4 inches There is a 20-40 percent chance of 6+ inches of snowfall from Friday through Sunday for Alpine and Mono counties.
For the Lake Tahoe Basin, there's a chance that lower elevation Sierra communities such as South lake Tahoe, Truckee, Bridgeport and Mammoth Lakes may see 1 to 3 pinches of snowfall through Sunday. Snow levels will start out high, around 8,000 feet Friday before falling to near 5,000 feet by Sunday.
There are boom/bust potentials with this storm, according to weather models, which are showing slight deviations. The timing Saturday could result in a few lower elevation areas contending with some snow accumulations early Sunday morning. If you plan to head into the mountains and Sierra this weekend, check with NVroads.com for the latest travel conditions.
Carson City, Carson Valley, Dayton area weekend forecast
Heading into the weekend, it's looking like partly cloudy skies and breezy Friday with daytime highs in the upper 60s and a slight chance of thunderstorms.
Saturday shows showers are likely, with around a 60 percent chance. Daytime highs will be near 60 and night time lows in the low 30s, with Saturday night bringing a chance of snow showers. Little to no accumulation is expected.
Sunday will bring a 30 percent chance of rain showers, with daytime highs near 50. Monday appears to be sunny and warming with highs in the low 60s. Check back for updates.