textproduct: Elko

KEY MESSAGES

* Unseasonably warm today

* Strong, gusty winds Saturday

* Much cooler Sunday

* Near freezing temperatures in the coldest valleys of Northern and Central Nevada Sunday night

DISCUSSION

(This evening through next Thursday)

WEATHER PATTERN OVERVIEW: Unseasonably warm temperatures continue this afternoon with highs being several degrees above normal. Breezy winds this afternoon with speeds up to 10-15 mph, gusts 20-25 mph. Tomorrow, strong gusty winds throughout the day with winds up to 20-25 mph, gusts as high as 35-45 mph. Red Flag Warning has been issued for all fire zones due to the strong gusty winds in combination with low humidity dropping to as low as 9 percent. Temperatures expected to start a cooling trend, but still be a few degrees above normal in the upper 80s.

Sunday, wind conditions expected to be much lighter with speeds up to 10-15 mph, gusts as high as 25-30 mph. Temperatures will be several degrees below normal across northern Nevada and parts of central Nevada north of the US-50 corridor, while south of the US-50 corridor still expected to be a few degrees above normal. Highs in northern Nevada will be in the upper 60s to 70s, along the US-50 corridor in the 70s, while south of US-50 corridor in the upper 80s. By the evening into overnight hours, cooler temperatures will extend into the rest of central Nevada, with temperatures staying near normal, while northern Nevada will see colder air being several degrees below normal with some areas reaching to near freezing.

Monday, wind conditions become light with speeds generally staying below 10 mph. The cooler temperatures expected to remain across central and northern Nevada with central Nevada staying at near normal temperatures in the upper 70s to 80s, while northern Nevada stays a few degrees below normal in the low 70s.

Rest of the week, light wind conditions with a gradual warming in temperatures staying near normal in the mid-week, then warming back to a few degrees above normal by the end of the week.

AVIATION

Look for VFR conditions at all terminals over the next 24 hour period. Breezy southwesterly winds at 10-15 kts, gusts 20-25 kts this afternoon, dissipating to lighter winds below 10 kts overnight. Tomorrow, stronger southwesterly gusty winds across all terminals with speeds up to 15-20 kts, gusts 35-40 kts.

FIRE WEATHER

The Fire Weather Watch across all zones has been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning due to strong gusty winds up to 45 mph and low humidity as low as 9 percent expected tomorrow. Unseasonably warm conditions continue today and tomorrow with cooling temperature trend starting Saturday night with some areas dropping to near freezing Sunday night. Some breezy winds Sunday afternoon with gusts reaching up to 25-30 mph, with better low humidity around 15% or higher. Elevated fire weather concerns Sunday afternoon due to the breezy winds and humidity near 15% but remain borderline.

LKN Watches/Warnings/Advisories

Wind Advisory from 11 AM to 11 PM PDT Saturday NVZ030-031-035.

Red Flag Warning from 11 AM to 11 PM PDT Saturday FWZ424-425-426-427-437-438-469-470