Blustery Saturday opening act for Sunday storm

A blustery Saturday could herald thunder-snow in the Carson Range early Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.

A winter weather advisory takes effect for the Sierra around Lake Tahoe and Alpine County 3 a.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday.

The late storm could bring 2-6 inches of snow at Lake level and 6-12 inches above 7,000 feet, with 12-18 inches possible along the Sierra crest.

“Bursts of rapid snow accumulations and thunder is possible Sunday,” forecasters said. “Travel could be very difficult. Gusty winds and heavy, wet, dense snow could bring down tree branches.”

Opening for Sunday’s weather was a wind advisory in effect through 11 p.m. Saturday.

Wind gusts of more than 30 mph were measured across Douglas County on Saturday morning, with a gauge at Highway 395 and Genoa Lane recording a 36 mph gust at 4 a.m. A 38 mph gust was recorded at the Fish Springs Firehouse.

“Solid but not extreme winds are expected through the remainder of today, with areas of blowing dust a good bet to produce hazy skies across much of Western Nevada and poor visibility at times downwind from the main deserts, sinks and dry lake beds in west central Nevada,” Reno Meteorologist Mark Deutschendorf wrote on Saturday morning.

Precipitation isn’t expected to arrive in the Sierra until late tonight with snow levels in Carson Valley down to 4,500 feet early Sunday morning, though it’s likely the Valley will be shadowed out.

Any snow falling in Carson Valley from this storm is likely to be limited to graupel on Monday. Temperatures behind the cold front are expected to decrease into the 50s and 20s.