textproduct: Elko

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 1239 PM PST Wed Jan 7 2026

* Upper level storm system bringing rain/snow showers to Nevada will last through Thursday evening.

* Rain will quickly transition to snow this evening, and a Winter weather advisory is in effect.

* Quiet weather pattern to return as high pressure builds in Saturday an will linger through next Wednesday.

DISCUSSION

(This evening through next Tuesday)

Colder upper level trough is currently beginning to influence Nevada, as light rain/snow showers are developing across northern Elko county. These showers will continue to develop this afternoon and spread south. Snow levels currently are around 5500 feet this afternoon, and are expected to drop to the valley floors by late tonight. So what will start as a light rain/snow mix Wednesday afternoon, will change over to all snow by late Wednesday evening, with showers continuing on and off through Thursday evening. One change is that models are showing a faster speed with this system with most organized precipitation ending by Thursday evening now, not Friday morning. Unfortunately, current track has not changed much this morning, and still looks to keep the best chances at accumulations of the precipitation away from western Humboldt and the southern third of northern Nye Counties. Otherwise precipitation amounts still look to be decent from a liquid perspective, with valleys seeing between 0.01 and 0.25, Passes and roadway summits seeing between 0.05 and 0.50, and the mountains seeing up to 1.3 of water. As for snow, valleys could see between as trace to 3, with some lower elevation valley locations having the highest probability of their first measurable snowfall this winter. Passes and roadway summits could get up to between 2 to 5, and mountains seeing between 4 to 12 of much needed snow. As snow trends have increased with recent model runs, went ahead and issued a Winter Weather Advisory beginning Wednesday evening lasting through Thursday evening for N, SC, and SW Elko, S Lander and S Eureka, as well as the Ruby mountains. As this system departs Friday the extended forecast sees a unwelcome pattern change as upper level ridging associated with a west coast Rex Blocking builds in from California. This setup looks to hold firm with the upper ridge over northern California and Nevada, with the associated upper low over far southern California or northern Mexico through the remainder of the period. That means quiet weather with light winds and warming temperatures through at least next Wednesday.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE & DEVIATIONS:

There is high confidence in the chances for rain/snow showers transitioning to all snow Wednesday evening through Thursday evening.

There is moderate confidence for light snow accumulations in Valleys, with many locations seeing their fist measurable (>=0.1) snowfall for the Winter.

There is high confidence in a pattern change that will see high pressure return, as a blocking pattern sets up over the SW US for Friday afternoon through next week.

AVIATION

VFR conditions are forecast to be the primary flight conditions through Thursday. Upper level trough of low pressure currently poised to move through Nevada is generating light rain/snow showers across northern Nevada. Theses showers will expand in coverage through this afternoon and evening with VCSH possible for KWMC, KBAM, and KEKO, and reaching KELY, KENV, and KTPH by 00Z. -SHRA/-SHSN possible by 00Z for I-80 terminals as cooler air filters in. Showers will spread south during the overnight with a full transition for all terminals to -SHSN by 06Z Thursday and continuing on and off through 06Z Friday. With snow showers conditions will drop to MVFR to even IFR levels with some of the stronger showers for period of time. Ceilings will be low, dropping to less than 1000 feet at times with winds out of the NW at 10KT to 20KT with Gusts up to 35KT possible.

LKN Watches/Warnings/Advisories

Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST Thursday NVZ031-034-037>039.