100
FXUS65 KREV 071039
AFDREV
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
239 AM PST WED JAN 7 2026
KEY MESSAGES
* BREEZY WEST WINDS DEVELOP TODAY AHEAD OF THE NEXT STORM WITH
RECREATION AND AVIATION IMPACTS POSSIBLE WITH GUSTY RIDGE WINDS.
* THE NEXT STORM ARRIVES LATER TODAY INTO THURSDAY MORNING, SETTING
US UP FOR LIGHT MOUNTAIN AND VALLEY SNOW POTENTIAL.
* WARMER, DRIER WEATHER RETURNING THROUGH AT LEAST THE END OF NEXT
WEEK.
DISCUSSION
WINDS ARE DEVELOPING ACROSS THE RIDGES THIS MORNING, WITH GUSTS
INCREASING INTO THE AFTERNOON TODAY. WIND GUSTS WILL CONTINUE TO
INTENSIFY INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS TONIGHT, AS A PIECEMEAL JET AT
300 MB OF 110 KTS TRIES TO CONGEAL OVER THE REGION. WESTERLY
RIDGE GUSTS TODAY WILL REACH UPWARDS OF 70+ MPH AROUND TAHOE
PEAKS, WHILE WESTERN NEVADA LEESIDE VALLEYS WILL SEE GUSTS OF 25-30
MPH. THE CORE OF WIND SPEEDS WILL MOVE AS THE JET SLIDES IN A
NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST DIRECTIONAL FROM THE OREGON BORDER THIS
MORNING TO THE SOUTHERN END OF THE SIERRA BY THURSDAY MORNING. AS
THE JET BECOMES MORE COLLECTED OVERHEAD, IT BRINGS GUSTS OF 60 MPH
TO MONO COUNTY RIDGES EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. BY MIDDAY THURSDAY,
THE WINDS WILL BE SUBSIDING FOR NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA AND THE
WESTERN NEVADA VALLEYS. AT THE SAME TIME, WINDS ACROSS MINERAL
COUNTY WILL BE REACHING A ZENITH, AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY CLEARS
THE REGION. LAKE WIND ADVISORIES ARE POSTED FOR LAKE TAHOE AND
PYRAMID LAKE FOR WIND GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH, WHICH WILL CREATE CHOPPY
LAKE WATERS AND WAVE HEIGHTS OF 2 TO 4 FEET.
SNOWFALL WILL BE MOSTLY LIGHT WITH THIS FAST-MOVING, MOISTURE-
STARVED SYSTEM ARRIVING LATE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. THE MAIN CAVEAT
TO THIS IS A BANDED SNOWFALL SCENARIO THAT COULD BRING 1 INCH PER
HOUR SNOWFALL RATES TO THE HIGHEST PEAKS AROUND TAHOE FOR A BRIEF
OVERNIGHT PERIOD AHEAD OF THURSDAY'S COMMUTE. THIS BAND OF SNOWFALL
MAY ALSO DEPOSIT SNOW ON VALLEY FLOORS, WITH A 30% CHANCE FOR 0.5
INCHES OF SNOW FOR VERDI, AND STEAD CHECKING IN WITH A 15% CHANCE
FOR THAT 0.5 INCH TOTAL. AS FOR I-80, DONNER PASS HAS A 35-40%
CHANCE TO ACQUIRE 3 INCHES OF SNOW. AMOUNTS MAY BE LIGHTER ON THE
EASTERN SLOPES OF THE TAHOE BASIN, WITH MT. ROSE SUMMIT CHECKING IN
WITH A 10% CHANCE FOR THE SAME 3 INCHES. ON THE HIGH END, UP TO 4
INCHES OF SNOW COULD BE FOUND ACROSS THE HIGHER SIERRA PEAKS ALONG
THE WESTERN TAHOE BASIN, AND UNDER THE HEAVIEST BANDS. THE NATURE
OF BANDED SNOWFALL LENDS TO A TALE OF THE HAVES VERSUS THE HAVE-
NOTS. IN OTHER WORDS, SOME PLACES WILL RECEIVE MEASURABLE SNOW,
WHILE OTHERS MAY ONLY SEE FLURRIES IN THE AIR. IT DOES NOT TAKE A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SNOW TO PRODUCE SLICK ROADS, SO OUR ADVICE
IS TO LEAVE EARLY FOR THE THURSDAY MORNING COMMUTE TO ALLOW FOR
LONGER TRAVEL TIMES ON SLIPPERY ROADS THAT MAY DEVELOP. WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR WESTERN NEVADA VALLEYS AS
A HEADS UP FOR THE INCOMING SYSTEM.
ONCE WE CLEAR THE BOARDS OF THIS SYSTEM, A WARMING AND DRYING
TREND WILL EMERGE UNDER A STOUT RIDGING PATTERN THAT WILL DOMINATE
THE WEST COAST THROUGH AT LEAST THE END OF NEXT WEEK. HIGHS
ACROSS WESTERN NEVADA WILL CLIMB OUT OF THE 40S TO NEAR THE MID
50S BY MIDWEEK NEXT WEEK. SIERRA VALLEYS WILL JOIN IN, WITH LOW
50S BY THE SAME TIME FRAME. HRICH
AVIATION
* SURFACE WINDS WILL BE INCREASING TODAY, WITH SUSTAINED WINDS
FOR WESTERN NEVADA TERMINALS REACHING 15-20 KTS AFTER 21Z. LLWS
WILL BE INTERMITTENT LATER IN THE DAY AS RIDGES GUST TO 60 KTS
AFTER 00Z.
* THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW SHOWERS RETURNS AFTER THURSDAY 6Z WITH
LOCAL VISIBILITY REDUCTIONS POSSIBLE AND LIGHT SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS. BANDED SNOWFALL MAY REDUCE VISIBILITY RAPIDLY.
HRICH
REV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NV...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM PST THURSDAY
NVZ002.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 10 AM PST THURSDAY NVZ001.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM PST
THURSDAY NVZ003-004.
LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM PST THURSDAY
NVZ004.
CA...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM PST THURSDAY
CAZ072.
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