The seasons first strong cold front brought strong winds to the region.
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The episode as NWS REV wrote it up.
The seasons first strong cold front brought strong winds to the region.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Reno, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 17, 4:47 PM PST, 7 hours 13 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
547 PM PDT Fri Sep 17 2021
.UPDATE...
Southerly winds are pushing quite a bit of smoke from active
fires in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs into the eastern Sierra
and western NV. Expect unhealthy air quality for outdoor
activities this evening especially Mono and Mineral Counties as
perhaps as far north as Carson, Douglas, Lyon and Fallon. Winds
shift to the west and southwest for Saturday which will easily re-
direct smoke plumes and clear out smoke/haze trapped in valleys by
the afternoon. Brong
&&
.SYNOPSIS...
Big changes in store this weekend as a storm system brings gusty
winds, increased fire danger, and much cooler temperatures. Rain
showers are possible Saturday night into Sunday north of Highway
50 in eastern California and far western Nevada, and north of
Interstate 80 in west-central Nevada. Warmer and drier weather
returns next week.
&&
.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... /Issued 227 PM PDT Fri Sep 17 2021/
DISCUSSION...
Biggest forecast change revolves around a faster timing of the
cold frontal passage late Saturday night into early Sunday. This
means stronger winds are anticipated Saturday as compared to
Sunday with winds likely remaining elevated for many locations
Saturday night as well. This is especially true for wind prone
locations, as well as midslope and ridge locations in the
mountains. The winds will bring choppy lake conditions, areas of
blowing dust, and increased fire danger. Please see the fire
weather section below for additional details.
Unfortunately, the precipitation with the front quickly drops off
as the front blasts into the region, with a sharp gradient in
anticipated liquid totals. The best bet for wetting rains remains
in northeast California north of Donner Pass, and northern Washoe
County north of Gerlach. Elsewhere, it appears much more showery
and hit or miss for any accumulation. Thunderstorms chances look
less impressive, with a 10% chance for a stray rumble in northeast
California Sunday morning.
It will be about 10 degrees colder for high temps Saturday, with
a further 10 degree drop Sunday. Frosts and freezes are possible
for outlying rural areas and suburban valleys Monday and Tuesday
morning with well below freezing temps in mountain valleys. Be
sure to cover your sensitive vegetation if you're still enjoying
those outdoor gardens.
Ridging with warmer and drier conditions returns for the first
half of the week, with the potential for another trough the end of
the work week. However, that being said, there is a lot of
variation in the forecast simulations and ensemble guidance, so
confidence in the forecast Wednesday onward remains low. -Dawn
AVIATION...
Smoke from wildfires in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
is creating slantwise visibility concerns for Mono-Mineral
counties northward toward western and central NV. VFR conditions
for most areas in the early afternoon for KRNO, KTRK, and KTVL,
while KCXP and KMEV may see periods of MVFR as the smoke
approaches. KMMH will have MVFR conditions later this afternoon
and into the evening due to the smoke and haze. The smoke and haze
may also cause terrain obscuration.
Winds will remain relatively typical, with westerly gusts to
20-25 kt this evening along the eastern Sierra. Saturday will see
an uptick in southwest winds as a trough approaches and brings
gusts up to 30-35 kt for western terminals. There is a potential
for stronger gusts and areas of blowing dust reducing visibility
for west central and northwest NV. Sunday morning the focus for
wind gusts shifts south of US-50, which remain around 30-35 kt.
Winds to turn W-NW behind the cold front on Sunday.
Potential for light rain Saturday night into early Sunday, mainly
north of I-80, could lower CIGS/VIS. HRICH
FIRE WEATHER...
The biggest change to the forecast is the faster timing of the
cold front, with the frontal passage now late Saturday night into
Sunday morning. This means the strongest winds (SW direction) for
most locations will be on Saturday, corresponding with dry
conditions. The Fire Weather Watches were upgraded to Red Flag
Warnings for areas east of US-395 and north of US-50 Saturday.
The winds are expected to remain elevated Saturday night as well,
particularly for wind prone locations and ridges/midslopes. The
winds for valley areas Saturday night are likely to be more random
gusts early on, becoming more steady before sunrise as the front
nears.
We are still looking at rainfall potential with the front, but
unfortunately, the precipitation with the front quickly drops
off as the front blasts into the region. The best bet for wetting
rains remains in northeast California north of Donner Pass, and
northern Washoe County north of Gerlach. Elsewhere, it appears
much more showery and hit or miss for any accumulation.
Thunderstorms chances look less impressive, with a 10% chance
for a stray rumble in northeast California Sunday morning.
If nothing else, the humidity will increase behind the front, but
we are still concerned with areas south of US-50 which will take
until the evening to see higher moisture values. It will still be
rather breezy Sunday behind the front, with winds shifting to the
W-NW. The area likely to see the strongest winds on Sunday would
be Mono/Mineral Counties ahead of the front, then the southern
half of fire zone 429 behind the front, as that area responds well
to NNW flow. There is still a bit of discrepancy as to if the
humidity and the winds will be low/high enough, respectively, to
need a Red Flag Warning. Therefore, have continued the Fire
Weather Watch at this time and will make a final decision
Saturday.
Much cooler conditions to follow behind the front with temps a
solid 15-20 degrees colder than what we have experienced lately.
Winds to shift N-NE behind the front late Sunday into Monday, but
do not look appreciably strong. A short period of wind gusts
reaching 20-25 mph are possible over the Sierra crest and western
slopes. -Dawn
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Lake Wind Advisory from 11 AM to 8 PM PDT Saturday for Pyramid
Lake in NVZ004.
Red Flag Warning from 1 PM to 8 PM PDT Saturday
NVZ420-423-429-458.
Fire Weather Watch from Sunday afternoon through Sunday evening
NVZ421-429.
Lake Wind Advisory from 11 AM to 8 PM PDT Saturday for Lake
Tahoe in NVZ002.
CA...Red Flag Warning from 1 PM to 8 PM PDT Saturday CAZ270-278.
Fire Weather Watch from Sunday afternoon through Sunday evening
CAZ274.
Lake Wind Advisory from 11 AM to 8 PM PDT Saturday for Lake
Tahoe in CAZ072.
&&
For more information from the National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/renoThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Widespread gusts of 40-60 MPH measured in Western Nevada including 59 MPH at Genoa and on the Black Rock Desert.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, September 2021
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 982486.