textproduct: Reno

KEY MESSAGES

* Hot and dry conditions prevail through next week, with triple digit heat to lower valleys Friday and Saturday.

* Areas of haze and smoke from current active fires could reduce air quality at times across parts of northwest and west central NV, with patchy smoke near and east of the Elephant Fire. * Typical afternoon winds are expected each day, producing short periods of elevated fire weather concerns in isolated areas.

DISCUSSION

The heat goes on as July rolls into August, with temperatures climbing to 100 degrees or above across most valleys of western NV and eastern CA Friday and Saturday. While the dry air mass and clear skies will allow for decent cooling in most areas, parts of west central NV, especially near and east of US-95 and along sections of US-50, will see warmer nights this weekend with lows in the upper 60s-lower 70s. In these sites with the warmer nights, HeatRisk levels tilt into the Major category so the Heat Advisory will remain in place Friday afternoon through early Sunday. Sierra communities can expect highs around 90 degrees through Saturday.

Afternoon SW-W breezes will continue near typical zephyr-type levels for most days through this weekend, with gusts mainly near 25 mph and isolated short-duration gusts to 30 mph near and north of I-80. When combined with continued low afternoon humidity and poor overnight recovery especially for western NV midslopes and thermal belts, expect elevated fire weather concerns during these afternoon breezy periods. Given the wind pattern and current fire activity, areas affected by smoke and haze at times through Friday include far northwest NV/Surprise Valley (from fires in Oregon), eastern Churchill County (from the New Pass Fire), and the valleys north of Reno-Sparks (from the Elephant Fire).

For Sunday-Monday, the high pressure ridge center retreats a bit farther southeast to the Four Corners region in response to a upper trough passage across the Pacific NW, leading to a slight 2-4 degree reduction in high temperatures for lower elevations. Even with this dip below heat advisory levels, we'll still be above average for early August, while areas near the Sierra show little or no cooling through early next week.

For the remainder of next week, the blended guidance favors a return to triple digit heat across more lower elevation sites. The amount of warming will depend on how north the ridge is able to expand from the Four Corners/southwest US, or if additional shortwave/trough passages across the Pacific NW are able to limit this northern expansion. In either case, the dry weather pattern remains locked in place with typical PM breezes most days, although blended guidance hints at potential increased breezes around the middle of next week. MJD

AVIATION

VFR conditions continue for all terminals through at least this weekend, with daily afternoon SW-W wind gusts 20-25 kts mainly between 21z-04z. With temperatures peaking Friday-Saturday afternoons, density altitude concerns increase for the western NV terminals. MJD

REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories

NV...Heat Advisory from noon Friday to 8 AM PDT Sunday NVZ001-004.

CA...None.