The approach of a cold trough of low pressure out of the Gulf of Alaska will set us up for a very windy weekend. Thursday, clouds will increase as will winds, from about 10 mph in the morning to gusts as high as 45 in the late afternoon. A High Wind Warning kicks in Late Thursday night and goes through the day Friday, when valley gusts could exceed 65 mph. Rain should accompany the front on Friday, thanks to the help of an atmospheric river feed of moisture, although the winds will create a significant rain shadow in the lee of the Sierra. Snow levels will start out above 8,500’ through Saturday, and another colder event Sunday into Monday could drop the snow levels to below the major mountain passes. Temperatures in Reno will fall from the 70s on Thursday to the 60s through the weekend to the upper 50s on Monday.

A couple of days ago, I started a discussion about some equipment on the Mt Rose Highway. With all the potentially severe weather coming, I’m going to put that off for a couple of days until the weather settles down a bit.