textproduct: Reno

KEY MESSAGES

* Gusty to strong winds this afternoon produce choppy waters on area lakes.

* Strong and potentially damaging winds Saturday will bring widespread impacts to fire weather, aviation, travel, and recreation.

* A significant cooling trend this weekend through early next week, is followed by a gradual warm up with dry conditions.

DISCUSSION

Wind gusts today will range from 25-35 mph, with the main impacts concerning lake recreation. Expect choppy lake waters, which will make small craft more susceptible to capsizing, with wave heights of 1-3 feet on both Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake. As such, a Lake Wind Advisory is in effect until 8 PM tonight. The winds this afternoon may also produce brief elevated to critical fire weather conditions.

Saturday will be very windy, one of the windiest days we've had in months, in fact. Wind gusts will start out at 15-20 mph by 8 AM, only increasing as the day progresses. The strongest winds (sustained west/southwest winds of 20-30 mph) are expected in the early evening, around sunset, and will remain elevated through at least midnight. Wind gusts in this 6 hour time frame will reach up to 45 mph areawide, with up to 50 mph along the Sierra Front of Western Nevada. Wind prone locations along US-395 will gust up to 65 mph Saturday evening. This includes, but is not limited to, Doyle near Honey Lake, Stead, Galena, Washoe Valley, and the Carson Valley. Gusts of this magnitude will provide difficult travel for high profile vehicles. Please heed any and all travel restrictions. Ridgetop gusts will also be quite strong Saturday evening, gusting over 80 mph.

These strong winds will bring additional impacts across the area, with one of the biggest concerns being fire weather; Red Flag Warnings have been hoisted across much of the area. For additional fire weather details, please see the Fire Weather discussion below. Wind Advisories are in effect nearly areawide until 2 AM Sunday, with impacts including choppy waters on area lakes, large wave heights (2-4 feet on Lake Tahoe), reduced visibility downwind of desert playas and sinks due to blowing dust, as well as bumpy flights and turbulent skies.

Winds will be weaker Sunday, gusting up to 25 mph. However, wind gusts over 40 mph will still be prevalent along ridgetops early morning Sunday. The dry cold front is predicted to pass through the area early Sunday morning, which will shift the wind direction to be mainly out of the northwest. The cold front will also help drop temperatures as we head into early next week. Expect highs in the 70s Sunday and Monday, with overnight lows in the 40s (Sierra communities) and 50s (W NV valleys). Afternoon highs will enter a warming trend starting Tuesday, bringing temperatures back to near normal by the weekend. Dry conditions will prevail through most of next week, as well.

-Giralte

AVIATION

VFR conditions expected for all terminals this weekend, with wind gusts up to 35 kts this afternoon. FL100 winds of 40-50 kts will produce LLWS today.

Winds will remain elevated Saturday, with the strongest gusts (50+ kts) expected after 00Z/13. KTRK/KTVL/KMMH may gust locally higher. FL100 winds will range from 50-70 kts through much of Saturday, only increasing to over 80 kts late Saturday into early Sunday. Expect extended periods of LLWS and turbulence.

Wind gusts will abate by Sunday morning, dropping back to typical gusts of 20-25 kts. Calmer conditions expected for early next week.

-Giralte

FIRE WEATHER

Elevated to near critical conditions are expected today for portions of northern Washoe, eastern Lassen, Churchill, and northern Lyon counties due to wind gusts of 25-35 mph. Minimum relative humidity values of 10-15% will also accompany these winds today.

By Saturday, winds increase significantly with widespread gusts of 45+ mph with 55-65 mph for wind prone areas along US-395. While minimum relative humidity values will range from 10-20% for the majority of the area, the strong winds will override these higher humidity values. Minimum RH across the Lahontan and Humboldt basins will be in the teens and single digits, with similar values for the Chalfant valley of southern Mono county.

Strong winds will continue through late Saturday night, finally decreasing Sunday morning. As such, all Fire Weather Watches Saturday have been upgraded to Red Flag Warnings, with the expiration times extended to 2 AM Sunday. Conditions will improve by Sunday afternoon, dropping back to our normal wind gusts of 20-25 mph.

-Giralte

REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories

NV...Red Flag Warning from 11 AM Saturday to 2 AM PDT Sunday NVZ458.

Wind Advisory from 11 AM Saturday to 2 AM PDT Sunday NVZ002-004- 005.

Lake Wind Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 8 PM PDT this evening NVZ002>004.

Red Flag Warning from 11 AM Saturday to 2 AM PDT Sunday NVZ420- 421.

High Wind Watch from Saturday morning through late Saturday night NVZ003.

Red Flag Warning from 11 AM Saturday to 2 AM PDT Sunday NVZ423- 429.

CA...Red Flag Warning from 11 AM Saturday to 2 AM PDT Sunday CAZ270- 278.

Wind Advisory from 11 AM Saturday to 2 AM PDT Sunday CAZ070>072.

Lake Wind Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 8 PM PDT this evening CAZ071-072.

High Wind Watch from Saturday morning through late Saturday night CAZ073.

Red Flag Warning from 11 AM Saturday to 2 AM PDT Sunday CAZ274.