textproduct: Reno

KEY MESSAGES

* A travel window opens through Sunday, as clearing skies and dry conditions return.

* A colder, weaker storm will likely bring snow to Sierra passes and rain in the valleys late Sunday night into Monday.

* A stronger and colder storm Wednesday into Thursday could bring heavy Sierra snow and snow down to western Nevada valley floors.

DISCUSSION

Sunday Afternoon - Sunday:

* Expect a nice little break between storms today into Sunday. This morning will start with cold morning lows in the teens and 20s, with highs in the 40s and 50s. Sunday will warm even further, with upper 40s in the Sierra and near 60 degrees in western Nevada. If you need to cross the Sierra, this will be your best window, just watch for lingering snow and slick spots on the roads.

Sunday Night - Monday:

* A fast-moving system arrives late Sunday into Monday morning. This will start with 50-65 mph ridge gusts Sunday night, when snow levels will be around 7000-8000 feet. Snow levels will then fall to around 5000-7000 feet (lower over the northern Sierra, higher along Mono County), before falling to 5000-5500 feet by Monday night. Carson Pass could see (75-95% chance) up to 6" of new snow, while Echo and Donner passes may see 2-4" or less. Mammoth may also see 2-4", while the Tahoe Basin may only see 1-2" of new snow. Western Nevada may see another decent rain total, with a 70-80% chance to see 0.1" of rainfall. Plan on winter driving on Monday morning, especially across the Sierra.

Tuesday:

* Cold morning start with teens in the Sierra and mid 20s in western Nevada. There may be some lingering snow showers in the Tahoe Basin. Tuesday afternoon will offer another brief Sierra traveling break, with winds and snow returning by Wednesday.

Wednesday - Thursday:

* MORE SNOW! A colder system is expected to arrive midweek, with exact timing still to be determined. Strong ridge winds will increase to around 70+ mph Wednesday. Snow levels are appearing to drop to valley floors by Thursday, which may impact commutes for Reno-Carson City-Minden. We will work out snow totals as the system draws nearer and the guidance finds more agreement.

Next Friday:

* The coldest air of the week looks to take aim for Thursday night into Friday morning. Showers may linger into Friday, but things look to dry out as we head into the weekend. HRICH

AVIATION

KRNO Forecast:

* Saturday will be quiet with VFR and light winds. Sunday, ridge winds increase, bringing LLWS with ridge gusts to 50 mph.

Regional Outlook:

* Skies will clear over the region for Saturday into Sunday. Sunday ridge winds will increase, bringing areas of LLWS over the Sierra.

24-72 Hour Outlook:

* Saturday afternoon through Sunday offers the best flying conditions with VFR and lighter winds. The next storm brings snow and IFR conditions back over Sierra terminals late Sunday into Monday, while western Nevada airports will remain mostly VFR with brief morning MVFR due to rain showers. HRICH

REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories

NV...Winter Storm Warning until 10 AM PST Saturday NVZ002.

CA...Winter Storm Warning until 10 AM PST Saturday CAZ072-073.