Blowing dust can lower visibility and make travel dangerous. What may look like smoke, is more than likely dust moving into the Truckee Meadows Thursday night. The dust is coming in from the north, off of Honey Lake and the Black Rock Desert. As of 9:30 p.m., Reno’s air quality is currently in the moderate range, but close to unhealthy for sensitive groups.
The dust could be even thicker east of Fallon and along Highway 50. The dust could also be coming off of the Carson Sink. A good north wind and dry soils is a good recipe for blowing dust. Our winds are coming out of the north behind a cold front driving in the dust.
The air quality is even worse east of Reno in Fernley. As our winds transition out of the east Friday, the dust should get flushed out but it will probably stick with us overnight. If you are sensitive to dust, it’s a good idea to stay indoors. the satellite image below is from the National Weather Service in Reno.Â
