A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service for the Carson City, Carson Valley, Dayton, Virginia City and Reno areas through 10 a.m. Saturday morning.
Snow showers will begin this evening with anywhere from 1 to 3 inches and possibly up to 6 inches in heavier bands, according to the weather service, which notes the higher amounts of snow may be in Douglas County.
Carson City Sheriff's Sgt. Scott McDaniel urges drivers to be aware of the dangers of driving on local streets and that may be wet or icy.
"When these conditions arise you must adjust your driving habits accordingly. Slow down and allow more distance between you and the vehicles ahead of you," he said. "Stopping distance is going to be increased due to the roadways being wet or icy and remember, not everyone is going to slow down as they should so the risk of vehicle crashes increases."
McDaniel says motorists should pay attention to the traffic ahead of you and put away the cell phone. During periods of heavy rain or snow, visibility drops dramatically and you need to have your full attention on your driving. If possible, travel in the slow lane so that traffic does not back up behind you and become impatient.
If you need to change lanes, signal well in advance of your action so that vehicles behind you can adjust and prepare for your movement. Keep a sharp eye out for pedestrians crossing the street as they can be difficult to see in these conditions, he said.
"Even a small storm with light accumulations of rain or snow can cause big problems if you are not prepared and driving at your very best," said McDaniel.
The Weather Service advises that snow will create slick and icy roads with the worst conditions likely Saturday morning. This includes Interstate 80, and Highway 395 and Highway 50. Snow is expected to pose an inconvenience to travelers.
For road conditions call 1-800-427-7623 for California and 1-877-NV-Roads for Nevada. You can also check road conditions online for Nevada and California. If you have plans to travel through the Sierra be sure to check the latest forecast at weather.gov/Reno and check road conditions with Caltrans and NDOT.