High Wind in Nevada, November 5, 2025

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
116 AM PST Wed Nov 5 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

* Strong winds will bring significant travel impacts today,
  especially from the eastern Sierra into far western NV.

* Periods of wetting rain and high elevation snow will move across
  eastern CA today, with lighter rain into far western NV.

* An overall drier pattern will prevail for the rest of this week
  into early next week, with warmer temperatures returning.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

Winds are beginning to ramp up across the Sierra and northeast CA,
with gusts currently in the 50-65 mph range, but further increases
will occur overnight and this morning as the peak mid- upper level
flow arrives. While the majority of the high wind potential favors
the morning hours, we'll continue to see bursts of impactful wind
gusts this afternoon-early evening before diminishing. All current
High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories remain in place, with peak
gusts generally 55-65 mph for Sierra/Tahoe/far western NV
communities, up to 80 mph for wind prone areas (especially along
I-580/US-395), and 90-110 mph for mountain ridge tops. Elsewhere
in western NV and northeast CA, peak gusts of 45-55 mph are
expected with up to 65 mph in wind prone locations, along with
areas of blowing dust reducing visibility downwind of deserts and
sinks. These winds in portions of southern Mono county combined
with humidity dropping to 15-20% and drier vegetation will lead to
elevated fire weather conditions this afternoon.

The leading edge of precip associated with this storm advances
into northeast CA toward daybreak and spreads into the eastern
Sierra and Tahoe basin during the morning and midday hours, then
tapers to showers this afternoon. The bulk of the precip still
favors northeast CA west of US-395 and the Tahoe basin with most
likely liquid totals between 0.50-1.25", and locally up to 2" near
the Sierra crest west of Tahoe and northward into central Plumas
County. Amounts then drop off to the east due to precip shadowing,
with amounts generally between 0.20-0.60" east of US-395 in
northeast CA/far northwest NV, foothills west of Reno-Carson City
and Mono County west of US-395. Getting to the main urban areas
around Reno-Carson City-Minden, even stronger shadowing reduces
the projected rainfall totals to 0.05-0.15", while little or no
measurable rain is expected east of these cities into west central
NV, and for eastern Mono County. Snow levels have been pretty
persistent and still remain around 7500-8000 ft for this event,
although a brief rain/snow mix may be present down to near 7000
feet as precip begins this morning. Expected snowfall amounts are
largely unchanged and limited to higher passes and summits (Mt.
Rose, Carson, Ebbetts, Sonora, Tioga) with accumulations generally
1-3 inches, and locally up to 6 inches near the crest.

Conditions improve tonight into Thursday as the storm exits to the
east. A few light showers may linger in portions of far northeast
CA/northwest NV and near the Sierra crest until early Thursday,
then a much weaker secondary disturbance may bring additional
light showers and a push of increased ridge top winds (gusts 50-60
mph) to these same locations Thursday night into Friday morning.
Elsewhere we'll see a drier pattern prevail with cooler daytime
highs mainly from the mid 50s-lower 60s for Thursday and about 2-6
degrees warmer for Friday.

This weekend into early next week looks to continue the overall
dry and mild pattern with high pressure building over CA/NV and
then shifting eastward to the Great Basin/southwest US. High
temperatures rise above early November averages, mainly ranging
from the mid 60s-lower 70s. Don't miss this added opportunity to
take advantage of favorable weather for most outdoor activities,
as longer range guidance is showing signals for a more active
storm pattern returning for mid-late next week. MJD

&&

.AVIATION...

Widespread wind impacts to aviation prevail today through this
evening, with strong gusts of 40-50 kts at the main terminals and
FL100 wind gusts of 80+ kts, resulting in significant mountain
wave turbulence and periods of LLWS. The greatest overall wind
impacts for takeoff/landing are anticipated between 10-17Z at
KTVL/KTRK, 11-20Z for KRNO/KCXP/KMEV and 16-01Z for KMMH. Rain
chances also increase during the day Wednesday with MVFR to brief
IFR CIGS/VIS most likely for KTVL/KTRK between 15-20Z, and
mountain obscurations near all main terminals.

Conditions improve late tonight and Thursday as winds decrease.
While VFR conditions are expected to prevail at the main
terminals, moisture and low stratus clouds from today's rain could
produce periods of IFR CIGS and/or VIS overnight into Thursday
morning at KTRK/KTVL. MJD

&&

.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Wind Advisory until 10 PM PST Wednesday NVZ005.

     High Wind Warning until 10 PM PST Wednesday NVZ002-003.

     Wind Advisory from 7 AM to 10 PM PST Wednesday NVZ001-004.

CA...Wind Advisory until 10 PM PST Wednesday CAZ070-071.

     High Wind Warning until 10 PM PST Wednesday CAZ072-073.

&&