textproduct: Elko

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 103 AM PST Fri Jan 2 2026

* A few showers early this morning across Eastern NV

* Dry this afternoon and tonight, with more showers Saturday into next week

* Winds will be relatively light today, with afternoon gusts trending higher into the weekend

UPDATE

Issued at 103 AM PST Fri Jan 2 2026

A mix of rain and snow showers linger across portions of Elko, White Pine and Eureka Counties tonight, with minor snow accumulations on summits. Showers will taper off later tonight into Friday morning from west to east as this system exits into Utah. The region will be between systems this afternoon and tonight. Showers spread in from the west on Saturday and continue at times through the remainder of the weekend and into next week. The forecast remains on track with no updates needed at this time.

DISCUSSION

(This evening through next Wednesday)

WEATHER PATTERN OVERVIEW: Southerly flow in the downstream of a shortwave riding the downstream of a larger parent trough is helping to advect moisture into NV today from the south. Cloudy skies and rain showers will continue until late Thursday evening. While this has been a wet system so far, temperatures continue to remain warm enough to keep precipitation for valley floors mainly of the liquid variety. Snowfall remains confined to elevations above 7500 feet and that will continue until showers abate later tonight.

Moisture availability will recede to the north Friday allowing a brief dry out period for the region. However, an active weather pattern for the area and really the western CONUS as a whole continues as the parent trough to the northwest begins to encroach on the West Coast. An embedded jet streak in the downstream of the trough signals a tighter gradient and stronger winds in store for the Great Basin by Saturday. Current model runs do show stronger wind speeds but not quite to criteria level for any products at this time.

Riding this increased flow is the next in a series of waves impacting the state. Moisture will increase again across the state this time from west to east and help to increase precipitation chances yet again for the region late Saturday and Sunday. Under the continued southerly flow though, this next wave will again be a valley rain/mountain snow scenario. This wave will be through the area by Monday though the Great Basin remains in southwest flow under the downstream flow of the parent trough to the west. The larger ULT finally makes its way into the region Tuesday. This wave will feature a more definitive boundary equipped with colder air, better forcing, and sufficient moisture availability. Current model runs suggest larger areal coverage of snowfall for valley floors beginning late next Wednesday night into Thursday.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE & DEVIATIONS: High confidence in stronger winds into the weekend as well as a dry period on Friday. Moderate confidence remains in weekend shower activity and less confidence continues for amounts and timing of precipitation next week. No major grid changes needed at this time.

AVIATION

Periods of MVFR and IFR conditions early this Friday morning due to lingering showers. The current system will exit to the east later this morning leaving dry conditions at all terminals this afternoon and night.

LKN Watches/Warnings/Advisories

None.