While we won’t see record temperatures, the last two days of winter will be decidedly spring-like. Sunny skies with highs in the low 70s on Friday will continue into Saturday, although a few afternoon clouds will probably roam across the region Saturday Afternoon. But on Sunday a cold front will try to get across the mountains, kicking up some gusty winds, and some rain and high elevation snow, mainly to the mountains. Rain showers could spill over into the valley late Sunday and early Monday, but the rain shadow will limit how much, if any, we get.

So why does eastern Nevada get more snow than the Reno area? From a precipitation standpoint, they are really not in the rain shadow of the Sierra nearly as much as we are. So as storms come in and cross the Sierra, they have a chance to reform farther east without having to overcome the suppressing effect of the down slope winds. Even though overall there may be less moisture in the air to the east, it’s easier to get what moisture there is out of the air without the rain shadow effect.