After reaching 90 degrees for the first time this year, a cold front will move through northern Nevada this weekend. Temperatures will near 80 degrees on Friday but fall into the lower 70s on Saturday and 60s on Sunday. It will be breezy too, making it feel cooler. It won’t be a washout or frigid this weekend, but it will be chilly with temperatures around ten degrees below normal for this time of year. Memorial Day weekend can be a toss up around here. It will be cold enough for some light snow to fall in the high Sierra on Sunday. Roads will be fine though. Snow totals will be less than an inch.
Wind will be a concern through Saturday, with slightly lighter wind speeds on Sunday. An area of high pressure is situated just to the east of Nevada with an area of low pressure west of Oregon. The change in temperature will increase the thermal gradient and allow wind speeds to increase as a result. Highs on Thursday were in the upper 80s and low 90s but they’ll be about ten degrees cooler on Friday. This sudden drop in temperature causes strong wind speeds. Wind gusts will be in the 30s on Friday and 40s on Saturday. As the low itself moves over Nevada and the cooler air settles in wind speeds will get lighter. They’ll be in the 20s on Sunday and Monday, but highs will only be in the 60s. A Lake Wind Advisory has been posted for Pyramid and Tahoe, and goes through 11 p.m. tonight and then again 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Friday. Unfortunately, it’s not the best boating or kayaking forecast this weekend. Wind speeds will reach their peak on Saturday. Reno is included in the Lake Wind Advisory as well.
There is a chance for rain this weekend, but it won’t be a washout. The showers will be scattered in nature and could produce gusty winds and heavy downpours at times. The majority of the showers will develop in the Sierra and east of Highway 95. Some of the showers will develop overnight as well. It will be cold enough for snow in the high Sierra by Sunday, especially at night. A mix of rain and snow will fall at Tahoe Sunday, but it won’t be steady or a lot.
High temperatures will only be in the 60s on Sunday and Monday in Reno. They’ll be in the 50s at Lake Tahoe with overnight lows falling below freezing by the later half of the weekend. Temperatures will stay above freezing in the lowest elevations, but even the hills could see a freeze by Sunday morning. Temperatures will reach the 80s again by next Wednesday.
