Carson City and surrounding areas will enjoy mostly sunny skies through the weekend and into Monday with a cold, fast-moving winter storm expected in the Sierra and western Nevada by midweek.
For the weekend, sunny skies and above average temperatures are expected through the weekend, with daytime highs in the mid 60s for Carson City, Carson Valley and Dayton areas.
The forecast then turns to a chance of rain and windy conditions Tuesday night with rain and snow by Wednesday with snow levels falling rapidly along the cold front. Snow levels are likely to fall from 8000 feet down to 4,500-5,000 feet in the matter of an hour or two, which could easily catch people off guard, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.
There are still timing differences in the cold frontal passage anytime between Wednesday morning and afternoon. The weather service says it will be able to narrow down the times as the system moves closer. It advises that travel is likely to be impacted throughout the Sierra, and urges motorists to be prepared for winter driving conditions Wednesday into early Thursday morning.
There is a chance for light snow showers in western Nevada Wednesday afternoon and/or evening as well, but confidence is lower in accumulation due to the recent warmth. Winds will be gusty Tuesday into Wednesday, but nothing out of the ordinary for a late fall storm.