Breath of smoke arrives ahead of cold front

In a repeat from earlier in the week, smoke from prescribed burns on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada sent smoke into Carson Valley ahead of a storm front.

But the smoke on Friday afternoon was nowhere near as thick as it was Wednesday evening when visibility at Minden-Tahoe Airport dropped to under a mile.

The automated weather system at the airport was reading 5-6 miles visibility from 12:35-1:15 p.m. Friday before the wind picked up.

Air quality sensors in Minden were reading 58 by 2:40 p.m. after climbing to around 74, or in the mid-moderate range. The sensor in Ranchos Aspen Park was reading 43, which was still in the good range.

National Weather Service Reno Meteorologist Wendell Hohmann said the front should send what smoke is left out of the Valley this evening, with showers arriving in the Tahoe Basin 8-11 p.m.

Modeling is showing the amount of moisture arriving with the storm is dropping slightly but remains 2-5 inches in the mountain with as much as 8 inches along the Sierra crest where a winter weather advisory is in effect above 5,000 feet through 11 a.m. Saturday.

Snow levels stay up a bit longer, so any accumulation down to lake level and in the foothills is going to be light and brief,” Hohmann said. “However, with the precipitation passing so quickly, enough breaks may occur for roads in the Tahoe Basin to ice up by daybreak.”

A lighter storm may roll in late Saturday and bring some snow showers along the easter Sierra.

“Given the much colder temperatures and ensuing north flow early Sunday, we could even see some lake effect or enhanced bands on the south sides of area lakes,” Hohmann said.

Whatever happens with precipitation on Sunday, temperatures are expected to drop into the upper 40s during the day and into the teens overnight.

“Brisk northeast winds will bring a very chilly day Sunday followed by a very cold start to the day Monday with ridge wind gusts in excess of 60 mph bringing wind chills close to zero to as much as 10 degrees below zero at times in the Sierra high country.”