Heavy Snow and High Wind in Nevada, April 4 to 6, 2024

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Elko NV
250 AM PDT Thu Apr 4 2024

.SYNOPSIS...Low pressure will bring an active weather pattern to
northern and central Nevada through Friday night across central
Nevada, though light showers will continue in the north through
the mid-portions of the weekend. Expect mainly light accumulations
in the valleys with higher amounts along higher passes and
summits. Temperatures will cool into the 40s and 50s through
Sunday. Winds will be breezy to windy today through Saturday.

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.SHORT TERM...Today through Friday night. Satellite from this
morning shows a closed upper low circulation west of California in
the Pacific Ocean. Clouds are streaming across the area with very
light showers/virga seen on radar. For today, models are showing
the upper low coming ashore across the middle portions of
California. Look for strong to very strong winds to develop later
this morning and afternoon. High wind warnings look on track and
no changes are going to be made with wind headlines. Isolated
gusts to 65 mph are definitely possible in central Nevada. A
strong cold front will be slowly marching eastward through the
day. Snow levels will remain high through the day at or above 7000
feet. Scattered to numerous rain showers with isolated
thunderstorms will exist through the day. High temperatures will
generally be in the 50s and 60s. Colder air will filter into the
area later tonight into Friday morning. Any leftover rainshowers
will change to snow showers. Winds will continue to be a bit
breezy in many locales with overnight lows in the 20s and 30s.

The inclement weather will continue into Friday and Friday night.
Highs will only make it into the 30s and 40s. Total snow
accumulations will generally be in the one to five inch range over
the valley locations, though some locally higher amounts are
possible. In addition, roadways could become slushy due to snow
accumulation and recent warmer ground temperatures. Higher passes
and summits will see roughly three to seven inches. And due to the
strong winds, blowing and drifting snow may cause rapid reductions
to visibility. By Friday night, expect the shower activity to wane
across central Nevada, but isolated to scattered snow showers will
continue in northern Nevada. Overnight lows will be in the teens
and 20s. Though precipitation will end, there is a ten percent
chance for freezing fog in far central Nevada.

.LONG TERM...Saturday through next Thursday

A deep low pressure system will continue progressing eastward into
the central Plains Saturday allowing for diminishing snow showers
on the back side of the low over northeastern Nevada to subside
through Saturday evening. However, winds will be quite strong
from the west across portions of central Nevada and especially
ELko county as a strong pressure gradient will still reside over
the eastern Great Basin. The gusty winds will make for a blustery
day in addition to highs only in the 40s across the area. A weak
short wave is expected to move through the region Sunday but rain
and snow amounts are expected to be minimal as air mass will be
quite devoid of meaningful moisture. Lingering light
flurries/snow showers will exit central Nevada Sunday night into
Monday.

High pressure finally builds into the region Monday night. Expect
a steady warming trend through Thursday with highs reaching back
into the 60s and lower 70s by the end of the week. Lows similarly
will be warmer and by Thursday morning will be above freezing in
most valleys although a few pockets of upper 20s are still
possible in some eastern and northeastern valleys. Winds will be
light through this period as well with mostly sunny skies.

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.AVIATION...Cold front moving over the silver state expected to
produce -SHRA with VCTS at all northern terminals. VFR conditions
will be dominant, however passing storms may reduce CIGS/VSBY to
MVFR or lower. High sustained winds/gusts expected at all
terminals in the 10-20 kts and reaching as high as 25-35 kts,
with KTPH and KELY reaching as high as 35-40 kts sustained. Gusty
winds at KMWC and KBAM expected to see up to 20-35 kts, KEKO
expected to see up to 30-40 kts, and KTPH and KELY expected to see
up to 50 kt gusts. The potent cold front moving across the state
will cause low level wind shear.

&&

.LKN Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
Winter Weather Advisory from 5 PM this afternoon to 5 PM PDT
Friday Humboldt County...Northern Lander County and Northern
Eureka County.

Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 5 PM PDT
Saturday Northern Elko County...Southwest Elko County.

Wind Advisory from 8 AM this morning to 11 PM PDT this evening
South Central Elko County...Southeastern Elko County.

High Wind Warning from 8 AM this morning to 8 PM PDT this
evening Northwestern Nye County...Ruby Mountains and East
Humboldt Range...Southern Lander County and Southern Eureka
County.

Winter Storm Warning from 8 PM this evening to 5 PM PDT Saturday
Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range.

High Wind Warning from 8 AM this morning to 5 AM PDT Friday
Northeastern Nye County...White Pine County.

Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 5 PM PDT
Friday Northwestern Nye County...Southern Lander County and
Southern Eureka County.

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