Red Flag Warning 10, NWS Reno, NV

156 
WWUS85 KREV 010743
RFWREV

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Reno NV
1243 AM PDT Tue Sep 1 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 11 PM PDT TUESDAY FOR
GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR PORTIONS OF NE CALIFORNIA AND NW
NEVADA...


CAZ270-278-NVZ458-020600-
/O.CON.KREV.FW.W.0010.260901T1800Z-260902T0600Z/
Surprise Valley California-Eastern Lassen County-
Northern Washoe County-
1243 AM PDT Tue Sep 1 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO
11 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR
PORTIONS OF NE CALIFORNIA AND NW NEVADA...

* CHANGES...None.

* Affected Area...Fire Weather Zone 270 Surprise Valley 
  California, Fire Weather Zone 278 Eastern Lassen County, Fire 
  Weather Zone 458 Northern Washoe County, including the S-1 
  Vya Fire.

* Winds...Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts of 30 to 40 mph. 
  Ridgetop gusts up to 45 mph. Winds shift to westerly in the 
  late afternoon and evening.

* Humidity...RH reductions to 12 to 17 percent in the 
  afternoon. Nighttime recoveries of 50 to 80 percent Wednesday 
  morning. 

* Duration...3 to 6 hours.

* Impacts...The combination of gusty winds and low humidity can 
  cause fire to rapidly grow in size and intensity before first 
  responders can contain them.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Avoid outdoor activities that can cause a spark near dry
vegetation, such as yard work, target shooting, or campfires.
Follow local fire restrictions. Check weather.gov/reno for
updates and livingwithfire.info for preparedness tips.

&&

$$

NVZ420-020600-
/O.CON.KREV.FW.W.0010.260901T1800Z-260902T0600Z/
Northern Sierra Front including Carson City, Douglas, Storey,
Southern Washoe, Western Lyon, and Far Southern Lassen Counties-
1243 AM PDT Tue Sep 1 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO
11 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR THE
NORTHERN SIERRA FRONT...

* CHANGES...None.

* Affected Area...Fire Weather Zone 420 Northern Sierra Front 
  including Carson City, Douglas, Storey, Southern Washoe, 
  Western Lyon, and Far Southern Lassen Counties.

* Winds...Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts of 30 to 40 mph.
  Ridgetop gusts up to 50 mph. Winds shift to westerly in the 
  late afternoon and evening.

* Humidity...RH reductions to 10 to 15 percent in the 
  afternoon. Nighttime recoveries of 40 to 70 percent Wednesday 
  morning. 

* Duration...3 to 6 hours.

* Impacts...The combination of gusty winds and low humidity can 
  cause fire to rapidly grow in size and intensity before first 
  responders can contain them.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Avoid outdoor activities that can cause a spark near dry
vegetation, such as yard work, target shooting, or campfires.
Follow local fire restrictions. Check weather.gov/reno for
updates and livingwithfire.info for preparedness tips.

&&

$$

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
128 AM PDT Mon Aug 31 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

* Seasonably warm and dry today with typical afternoon zephyr
  breezes prevailing.

* A dry cold front will provide gusty winds and low humidity on
  Tuesday with elevated to critical fire weather concerns for
  northeast CA and parts of western NV.

* Cooler and breezy conditions are expected through the remainder
  of this week, with rain shower chances mainly in northeast CA
  and northwest NV Thursday and Friday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

The week begins with typical late-August weather, including near-
average temperatures, dry conditions, and typical afternoon
breezes. Conditions then shift by Tuesday as an approaching
trough and dry cold front bring stronger southwesterly winds and
critical fire weather concerns. See the Fire Discussion below.
Gusty winds will develop along N. Sierra ridgetops Monday night
with gusts near 50 mph overnight increasing to near 70 mph by
Tuesday evening.

The strongest lower valley winds are expected Tuesday afternoon
and evening, mainly northward of US-50, where gusts could reach
30-40 mph. These winds may produce mountain wave turbulence and
wind shear for aviation, hazardous boating conditions on area
lakes, crosswind hazards for high-profile vehicles, and locally
reduced visibility from blowing dust on the desert playas.

Behind the front, the week’s coolest temperatures arrive Wednesday,
with highs falling 10-15 degrees from Monday. Expect mid-70s for
W.Nevada valleys and low to mid-60s in Sierra valleys. Low
temperatures for colder Sierra valleys may dip below freezing each
morning from Wednesday through the start of the weekend.

Although Tuesday will be the windiest day, breezy conditions will
persist through much of the week as moisture gradually increases
and helps ease fire weather concerns. Light showers become
possible Thursday across northeast California, with generally
20-50% chances across W.Lassen and far N.Washoe counties. Shower
chances of 10-20% could extend into the Tahoe Basin by Friday with
decreased potential overall on Saturday.

The better potential for precipitation currently favors Sunday
into early next week, as ensemble guidance shows a possibility
that moisture from a tropical system could be drawn north into the
Sierra and western Nevada. Confidence remains very low at this
time, however, and will depend on how the tropical system
develops and interacts with an offshore low. Fuentes

&&

.AVIATION...

* VFR conditions today with typical afternoon wind gusts of
  around 20 kts expected for Sierra and W.Nevada terminals.

* A dry cold front on Tuesday will begin to increase areas of
  mountain wave turbulence with N.Sierra ridgetops winds (FL100)
  gusting near 40-45 kts after 06z this evening.

* For Tuesday, ridgetop gusts increase near 70 kts late
  afternoon, with Sierra and W.Nevada terminal gusts around 30-35
  kts. Expect increased mountain wave turbulence and periods of
  LLWS.

* Areas of reduced visibility from blowing dust may impact KLOL,
  KNFL, KHTH and aviation operations on the Black Rock desert on
  Tuesday afternoon/evening. Fuentes

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

* Elevated to critical fire weather conditions return early this
  week with Tuesday being the main concern with a dry cold frontal
  passage expected to provide gusty winds and dry conditions.

* Monday brings very low humidity, near 10% in parts of northeast
  California and northwest Nevada, with southwest to west wind
  gusts around 25 mph and isolated gusts near 30 mph.

* Tuesday poses the greatest concern. Fire Weather Watches cover
  parts of NE California, NW Nevada, and the N.Sierra Front,
  including Reno and Carson City. Southwest gusts may reach 30 to
  40 mph from midday into the evening.

* Winds remain gusty Wednesday, around 25 to 35 mph, though humidity
  improves. Brief near-critical conditions are possible near and
  east of US-95. Breezy to windy weather continues through Friday,
  but cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and possible showers
  mainly north of Susanville to Gerlach should reduce fire weather
  concerns. Fuentes

&&

.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Fire Weather Watch from Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening
     NVZ420-458.

CA...Fire Weather Watch from Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening
     CAZ270-278.

&&