textproduct: Reno

KEY MESSAGES

* Gusty northeast to east ridge winds linger through tonight, with chilly breezes for western Nevada valleys. * Today will be the coldest day of the upcoming week, with hazardous wind chills near or below zero degrees for Sierra backcountry areas. * A slow warming trend will bring back some valley inversions next week, then a weak weather system may bring chances for light showers, mainly along the Sierra mid to late next week.

DISCUSSION

A cold air mass charging southward from Canada has made it's way into our region. Temperatures will take a tumble this morning, leading to highs ranging 5-10 degrees colder than yesterday. This will also allow for overnight temperatures to crash tonight as well, with only a few spots barely making it to the low 20s. The majority of western Nevada will see lows dip to the teens, while Sierra communities see frigid single digits tonight. There is a low stratus deck of clouds seen on the GOES West NT Microphysics satellite imagery that is lingering as the frontal boundary passes, mostly across western Nevada and the Sierra Front. This may bring low clouds to valleys that could behave as a freezing fog layer along higher elevations that flank the valleys. If the stratus deck does linger through the morning, there may be areas of patchy fog until the upper level winds mix down and scour the valleys later this morning.

Coupled with the tanking temperatures will be brisk northeast to east winds along Sierra, with gusts up to 55 mph possible today. It's a good day to stay in and keep warm, but let's not forget to check on pets and vulnerable populations to help them stay warm as well. If you choose to be out in the backcountry today, bring adequate winter gear, and prepare for wind chills to reach potentially risky levels that could bring hypothermia and frostbite.

After this temporary freeze reminds us that winter is still in charge decides to move along, we will return to the regularly scheduled programming of slow, gradual warming and drying. The exception will be Wednesday, when we see a weak shortwave approach the northern California coast and quickly erode it's available moisture as it works across northeastern California and into western Nevada, where it nearly loses all the moisture transport and becomes a dry shortwave passage to our east. That exception aside, all other signs indicate the ridge will remain the main feature dominating the western US weather patterns, while our friends and family to the east try to stay warm under that deep, frigid cold trough that will bring impacts as far south as the Gulf Coast. HRICH

AVIATION

* Periods of MVFR are possible through 18z this morning as a stratus deck of clouds lingers behind the frontal passage. This could bring temporary terrain obscurations. KTRK may see patchy FZFG this morning through 15z.

* Winds will pick up after 18z, with ridge gusts up to 50 kts by midday. Localized areas of LLWS may develop, with areas of turbulence also possible. HRICH

REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories

NV...None. CA...None.