281
FXUS65 KREV 241951
AFDREV
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
1251 PM PDT THU SEP 24 2026
KEY MESSAGES
* SEASONABLY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TODAY WITH
TEMPERATURES 4-8 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE.
* INCREASING SOUTHWESTERLY BREEZES WILL PREVAIL THIS AFTERNOON
WITH STRONGER WIND GUSTS EXPECTED ON FRIDAY WITH A DRY COLD
FRONT, LEADING TO ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS.
* COOLER, NEAR-NORMAL TEMPERATURES RETURN FOR THE WEEKEND, WITH
HIGHS DROPPING 5-10 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE EARLY NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
SEASONABLY WARM AND BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THIS AFTERNOON
BEFORE A DRY COLD FRONT RESULTS IN COOLER CONDITIONS WITH GUSTY
WINDS AND AREAS OF INCREASED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS ON FRIDAY.
BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON WITH MOST
AREAS SEEING GUSTS BETWEEN 20-30 MPH TODAY, CREATING LOCALIZED
FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS AND CHOPPY CONDITIONS ON AREA LAKES,
ESPECIALLY NORTH OF US-50.
WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN FURTHER LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY AS
THE FRONT APPROACHES. RIDGETOP GUSTS COULD EXCEED 75 MPH, FOLLOWED
BY WIDESPREAD SOUTHWEST GUSTS OF 30-40 MPH NORTH OF US-50 FRIDAY
AFTERNOON. THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY COULD
CREATE CRITICAL FIRE-WEATHER CONCERNS; SEE THE FIRE WEATHER
DISCUSSION BELOW FOR DETAILS. IN ADDITION, SMOKE FROM THE DOME
FIRE SW OF YOSEMITE, MAY RESULT IN AREAS OF SMOKE AND HAZE ACROSS
MONO COUNTY WITH MODERATE IMPACTS TO AIR QUALITY POSSIBLE.
TEMPERATURES WILL COOL ON FRIDAY, BUT WILL REMAIN NEAR SEASON
AVERAGES. THE MORE NOTICEABLE COOLDOWN IS EXPECTED SUNDAY-MONDAY
WHERE HIGHS MAY FALL 5-10 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE. SOME COLDER
SIERRA VALLEYS COULD DROP BELOW FREEZING SATURDAY MORNING, WITH
FREEZING TEMPERATURES BECOMING MORE LIKELY EARLY NEXT WEEK.
WHILE PROSPECTS FOR PRECIPITATION REMAINS MINIMAL OVER THE
WEEKEND. A WEAK UPPER-LEVEL LOW MAY INTRODUCE ENOUGH INSTABILITY
TO PRESENT A 10-20% CHANCE FOR A FEW LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS OR HIGH
ELEVATION SNOW FLURRIES ACROSS THE HIGH SIERRA IN MONO COUNTY
(>9500') ON SUNDAY. FUENTES
AVIATION
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON WITH
INCREASING W-SW WIND GUSTS THIS AFTERNOON WITH TERMINAL GUSTS
GENERALLY AROUND 20-25 KTS
WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN ACROSS THE NORTHERN SIERRA
TONIGHT, WITH FL100 WINDS OF 40-45KTS POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT
RESULTING IN INCREASED MOUNTAIN WAVE TURBULENCE AND LLWS. SURFACE
GUSTS ACROSS TAHOE AND W.NEVADA COULD SEE GUSTS AROUND 25-25KTS
WITH OTHERWISE DRY CONDITIONS PREVAILING. FUENTES/JUSTIN
FIRE WEATHER
AREAS OF ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS ARE POSSIBLE THIS
AFTERNOON AS WIND GUSTS REACH 25-35 MPH FOR MOST AREAS, WITH
AFTERNOON RH FALLING TO 10-15%. ISOLATED AREAS MAY EXPERIENCE A
FEW HOURS OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS, MAINLY ALONG THE
SIERRA FRONT, FAR NORTHWEST NEVADA, AND NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA.
THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AFTERNOON AHEAD OF A DRY
COLD FRONT. SOUTHWEST GUSTS OF 30-40 MPH ARE MOST LIKELY NORTH OF
US-50, WHILE WIND-PRONE LOCATIONS ALONG US-395 IN MONO COUNTY AND
THE SIERRA FRONT COULD SEE GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH. MINIMUM RH WILL
INCREASE SLIGHTLY FRIDAY, PARTICULARLY ACROSS NE CALIFORNIA AND
FAR N.WASHOE COUNTY WHERE THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS BEEN
CANCELLED DUE TO THESE HIGHER RH, BUT W.NEVADA AREAS HAVE BEEN
UPGRADED TO RED FLAG WARNINGS DUE LOWER RH EXPECTED. FUENTES
REV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NV...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 8 PM PDT FRIDAY NVZ002>004.
RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON TO 10 PM PDT FRIDAY NVZ420-421.
RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON TO 10 PM PDT FRIDAY NVZ423-429.
CA...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 8 PM PDT FRIDAY CAZ071>073.
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