Seasons mark a time of change in our weather pattern. Depending on where you live, the seasons might be more extreme than others. Does Reno have seasons or is our weather random? Weather itself is created by the world trying to balance itself out. There is cold air at the poles and warm air at the equator. This difference in temperature combined with a variety of other factors such as the Coriolis Effect, creates circulations in the atmosphere driving our weather. The main point is that weather is created by a difference in pressure and temperature. The bigger the difference in temperature typically the stronger the wind or storm will be. Spring and fall are transition months, making it more common for huge temperature swings and random snow spells. High pressure usually takes over during the summer, with not a lot of change in weather. Severe weather such as tornadoes or straight line winds forms when there is a big change in weather. This can happen from a huge drop in temperature or moisture levels. Tornadoes are most common during the spring when the world is transitioning from cold weather to warm weather. It’s not unheard of to have tornado warnings and blizzard warnings at the same time in places like South Dakota.
The average temperature for each month is a compilation of all the days added together and divided by the number of days. You’ll have some days that are warmer than others each month. For example, when you take a class you’ll have multiple tests. You might do well on three and poor on one. The poor one affects your grade but doesn’t say everything. Sixty four is roughly Reno’s average temperature during the month of April. However, we usually see our first 70 degree day in March. Reno usually sees its last measurable snowfall towards the end of March, but we have seen snow in June.
When you look at Reno’s seasons as a whole it is consistent with what you would expect. However, there are certainly times that the weather does not fit the calendar month. Some winters are warmer and drier than others, and some summers are wetter and cooler than others. Since we live in a higher elevation, and we have a lot of dry air, this allows us to cool off much quicker at night than most places throughout the country. The cooler the temperature the more likely one is to get snow. Snow in June is odd. The images posted in this blog demonstrates that Reno does have four distinct seasons. But the graphics also shows our records and that sometimes the unexpected happens.
One thing that we tend to see year around is wind. Spring and fall are windy because of the change in temperature. Winter is windy when a storm rolls through, and a summertime thunderstorm can produce gusty winds. We also tend to see stronger wind speeds in the summer because of a difference in temperature throughout the area. This is called the Washoe Zephyr. Is Reno’s weather odd? I guess it’s a matter of perspective.
Â
