Snow Squall Warning 5, NWS Elko, NV

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Elko NV
253 AM PST Sun Dec 30 2018

.SYNOPSIS...Light to moderate snow today over northern NV, along
with gusty winds as a cold front drops in from the Pacific
Northwest. Light snow will reach into central NV by this
afternoon, with showers tapering off tonight into Monday. Colder
Monday night through Tuesday.

&&

.SHORT TERM...Today through Tuesday. A positively tilted trough is
dropping into northern NV early this morning. Light snow is
expected over most of the region with this passing system,
however northern Elko County is expected to see light to moderate
snowfall. A winter weather advisory remains in effect now through
10AM Monday for northern Elko County where valley locations
should see 1 to 3 inches of snow, with 3 to 6 inches over higher
mountains. Gusty winds are also expected with this system which
will likely lead to blowing and drifting of snow at times.

This system will continue to dig south through northern and
central NV today, with locations other than northern Elko county
receiving between a quarter inch and one inch of new snowfall by
Monday morning. This system will then exit to the southeast on
Monday leaving cold northerly flow over NV Monday night into
Tuesday.

.LONG TERM...Tuesday night through next Saturday. The long range
models are not necessarily in synch out over the eastern Pacific
bu the resulting pattern over the Great Basin is much the same. A
dry pattern is expected to start 2019. In general, some degree of
high pressure will last through next week. The main hazard in the
long term will be cold temperatures and the possibility of a
strengthening inversion offering frigid nights and less than ideal
warming during the day.

Tuesday night. A very cold night is expected. Model
solutions are showing a high amplitude ridge in the eastern
Pacific with a closed upper low near the southern borders of
Arizona and New Mexico. This will result in a very cold northerly
flow over northern and central Nevada. With mostly clear skies
expected and fresh snow cover from late December storms in Nevada
and Idaho, overnight lows are expected to drop below zero over
eastern Nevada, including Elko, Wells, Carlin and Ely. Low
temperatures will generally range from 10 below zero to 10 above
zero.

Wednesday through Saturday. Dry conditions will continue. High
pressure will de-amplify however there is no indication of a
moisture surge until possibly late in the weekend. Temperatures
should moderate somewhat however it looks like some spots may get
trapped in an inversion set-up. High temperatures will generally
range from the mid 20s to the mid 30s. Low temperatures will
generally range from 5 to 15 degrees.

&&

.AVIATION...VFR conditions will hold at KWMC KBAM KEKO KELY and
KTPH through Sunday morning. A weather system will bring snow
showers and intermittent MVFR CIGS during the afternoon at KBAM
KEKO and KELY. Northwest winds will gust to around 30kts at KTPH
Sunday afternoon.

&&

.LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM PST Monday for Northern Elko
County.

&&

96/92/99