Weather Service: Strong thunderstorms, dangerous lightning expected to surface this afternoon
Strong thunderstorms are on tap for Wednesday afternoon and evening in Carson City, western Nevada and the Sierra, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Fire Weather Watch.
Scattered to numerous thunderstorms will develop this afternoon and continue overnight into Thursday. While storms will be capable of heavy rain, the potential for abundant and dangerous lightning strikes may cause new fires starts, according to the weather service. Outflow winds of 50-60 mph, flash flooding and small hail are possible with these storms.
The main threat is cloud to ground lightning strikes that could spark new wildfires in dry areas of vegetation. Nocturnal thunderstorms Wednesday night and early Thursday morning may pose a significant risk of fires as they will tend to produce less rainfall.
Afternoon thunderstorms may also arrive Friday as well. Temperatures will fall to near normal through Friday followed by a warming trend into next week.
See CarsonWeather.com for Carson City specific forecasts, stats and radar.