textproduct: Reno

KEY MESSAGES

* Winds increase this afternoon and evening, producing choppy lake waters and isolated travel impacts.

* Temperatures drop 10-15 degrees tomorrow before warming up again over the weekend.

* A shift to a cooler and wetter pattern with stronger winds arrives next week, with increased chances of below average temperatures by the start of April.

DISCUSSION

Within the next 24 hours, the main story is increased winds, cooling off, and clouding up. A shortwave kicks winds up mainly north of I-80 today, bringing choppy lake conditions to Pyramid Lake as well as Lahontan and Rye Patch reservoirs. As such, a Lake Wind Advisory is in effect until 11 pm tonight. Gusts will reach up to 40 mph at times, with locally lower (30-35 mph, except for known wind prones) south of I-80.

The warm low that is currently cycling off the coast of San Diego will track inland as that shortwave progresses over the area. This will limit how much afternoon temperatures drop (highs in the mid to upper 60s areawide tomorrow) and will bring increasing cloud cover. Maybe it is spring after all?

Both features have short residence times, allowing for ridging to build back up over the weekend. This brings the return of warm afternoon highs (upper 70s valleys, upper 60s Sierra communities), mostly clear skies, and our typical zephyr breezes. A pattern change is queued up for as soon as early next week, though, with a Pacific low steadily marching closer to the California coast. This pattern shift will bring gusty winds ahead of the system, per usual, as well as high elevation snow (above 7000 ft) and valley rain. Stay tuned for more details as we get closer!

-Giralte

AVIATION

VFR conditions prevail through much of the work week. Increased FL100 winds today (up to 35 kts) will bring localized areas of LLWS along the Sierra crest today and tomorrow. CIGS return Thursday, though cloud cover will be above 20,000 AGL.

-Giralte

CLIMATE

The heat keeps marching on for both Reno and South Lake Tahoe, with the streak of new or tied record highs now at 8 straight days. This streak may end as soon as today (chance of at least a tied record high has dropped below 40%), but certainly ending on Thursday. However, more daily record highs are within reach at both sites for this weekend.

New daily record high temperatures and the previous daily record high temperatures for Reno and South Lake Tahoe:

Date Reno NV South Lake Tahoe CA ---- ------------ ------------------- 3/17 82F (old 78F in 2007) 69F (old 65F in 2007) 3/18 86F (old 77F in 1947) 76F (old 63F in 2004) 3/19 85F (old 77F in 1997) 72F (old 65F in 2015) 3/20 88F (old 81F in 2004) 72F (old 68F in 1997) 3/21 81F (old 80F in 2004) 70F (old 68F in 1997) 3/22 77F (tied with 2004)69F (old 65F in 2004) 3/23 78F (old 77F in 2022)66F (tied with 2022) 3/24 82F (old 80F in 2022)72F (old 65F in 2022) 3/25 81F - 202267F - 2022 -------------------------------------------------------

New daily record warmest low temperatures and the previous daily record warmest low temperatures for Reno and South Lake Tahoe:

Date Reno NV South Lake Tahoe CA ---- ------------ ------------------- 3/18 48F - 1904 37F - 2021 3/19 46F - 2013 38F - 2013 3/20 47F - 2013 35F - 2013 3/21 50F (old 46F in 2015) 38F - 1972 3/22 50F - 2012 40F - 2012 3/23 51F (old 46F in 2000) 41F (old 40F in 1998) 3/24 48F (old 45F in 2006) 40F - 1986 3/25 52F - 1893 38F - 2008

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* New March monthly record high at Reno:

- Reno, NV: New record of 88F on Friday March 20. The previous monthly record was 86F on 3/18/2026.

* New March monthly record high at South Lake Tahoe:

- South Lake Tahoe, CA: New record of 76F on Wednesday March 18. The previous monthly record was 71F on 3/30/2015.

REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories

NV...Lake Wind Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 11 PM PDT this evening NVZ004.

CA...None.