Would the sand pits still be the sand pits without the sand pits? The answer to that question will be forthcoming with the Good Friday closure of the Dresslerville Pit by the U.S. Forest Service. The pit itself has provided materials for roads, sidewalks and paths for the last 20 years or so. The Forest Service has planted native plants to hold up the slopes in an effort to reclaim it.
So how windy a Wednesday was it? According to the U.S. Weather Service, wind speed in Gardnerville was clocked at 56 mph, while it was a little calmer in Minden at 51 mph. It should be no surprise that the peak wind gust below 6,000 feet was in Washoe Valley with a 72 mph burst. Across the Sierra crest, Mono County got the top speed with 111 mph. We had some power lines arc, but otherwise we received no reports of power outages.
Prepare to keep the patio furniture tied down for a little longer at least as another high wind watch has been issued for Friday. According to the National Weather Service we can expect a carbon copy of Wednesday's storm with only a slight chance of rain but a very good chance of wind.
