Rain is possible in Northern Nevada through Friday morning. While a weather icon and percentage are helpful, they do not convey the entire weather story. Percentages are based on confidence levels and area of coverage. There are a variety of ways meteorologists can describe the rain, and each one is important. The rain can be described based on timing, intensity, location, and frequency. Something a meteorologist can add to the forecast to keep you safe.
For example, there could be an 80% chance of light rain or there could be an 80% chance of heavy rain. Will the rain be widespread including all of the viewing area, or will it be scattered, with not everyone getting wet? Like our current setup, sometimes the rain can come and go, with breaks in between. Impacts are important as well. Will the rain be heavy enough and last long enough to cause puddles or flash flooding?
A rain icon and a percentage is good information, but context can be missing. How heavy the rain will be and what will it look like can give you a better idea of how to plan your day.
The frequency of the rain is an important part of the weather puzzle. A stray or isolated shower is when there are one or two showers all by themselves, with much of the area staying dry. Spotty showers equate to several showers, with still much of the area staying dry. Scattered rain showers double the amount of shower activity with some people getting wet, but some staying dry as well.
Odds are higher with scattered showers than spotty showers. Numerous is what it sounds like. There will be lots of rain showers in the region, odds of getting wet are quite high. Widespread means everyone will get wet. Granted you could have widespread light rain, mist, or drizzle.
When looking at the forecast, it’s also important to see how close the rain band will be to your location. Sometimes the rain chance is 10% in Reno, but it’s a 40% chance in Fallon. If the forecast is off by 50 miles, then Reno gets more rain than Fallon. Showers are also location sensitive. Meaning, while it could be raining where you are, it could be dry ten minutes away. This is especially common with thunderstorms.
Timing is another important factor when it comes to describing the rain. Sometimes it only rains in the morning, before you’re up. Other times it can last all day. Sometimes the showers are brief and pop up for ten minutes then dissipate. Other times they sit over the same area and pour for more than an hour.
If you don’t have time to sit down and watch a forecast or read a discussion about the forecast, I get it. Our lives are busy. Apps are convenient, but if you want to be better prepared, a meteorologist can help with that.
