Forecasters at the National Weather Service’s Reno office are keeping watch on a significant storm with gusty winds and heavy rains that will affect our area from Friday through Sunday.
According to the NWS a very warm, wet storm will bring gusty winds and heavy rains to the Sierra and western Nevada beginning on Friday and continuing through Sunday. The main concern will be the potential for flooding along creeks, streams and rivers.
What can you do now? Prepare for heavy rainfall by clearing drainages, ditches, and gutters of debris and snow the next few days. This will help to mitigate some of the flooding and runoff potential. Prepare for strong winds by securing outdoor furniture, temporary construction structures, and canopies.
Forecasters expect areas of moderate to heavy rain will develop Friday night and continue through late Saturday night. Snow levels will start around 10,000 feet, keeping the bulk of the precipitation in the form of rain. Rainfall totals between 2 to 4 inches along the Sierra crest, 1 to 2 inches in the Tahoe Basin, and up to 1.5 inches will be possible in the foothills.
Although less than an inch is generally expected in lower western Nevada valleys, plan on impacts. Rises on small creeks and streams are expected Friday night as well as ponding in low lying areas and street intersections. Areas that experienced enhanced runoff or flooding during the last storm, a couple of weeks ago, should plan on similar or greater impacts due to the heavy rain and the expected contribution of the melting snow pack.
The Susan River will experience increased flows by Saturday, along with the Middle Fork of the Feather, Carson and Truckee rivers.
Significant impacts are likely for high profile vehicles, boaters, and aviation due to the strong winds on Saturday.
Widespread wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph are possible with stronger wind gusts in wind prone locations and along ridgelines.
Very heavy, wet snow is possible late Saturday night into early Sunday morning as snow levels slowly fall below 7,000 feet. Chain restrictions may occur on the Sierra passes.
For up-to-date weather information follow this link to the Lassen Weather Network.
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