Fort Bidwell, California 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

407
FXUS65 KREV 170753
AFDREV

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
1253 AM PDT Thu Sep 17 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

* Light rain with a low chance of afternoon thunderstorms persists
  near the Oregon border today. Dry and breezy elsewhere.

* Smoke may lead to periods of degraded air quality across the
  Reno area, Tahoe Basin, and eastern Sierra today and Friday.

* Warm and dry weather prevails Friday into the weekend. Rain and
  thunderstorm chances may return to the Sierra south of Tahoe
  early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

A compact upper low churning in northern California is noted on
latest moisture-channel imagery, with attendant shower and
thunderstorm activity near the OR-CA border. An area of focused
synoptic lift should allow narrow bands of light rain to persist
overnight from Modoc County south into Lassen and northern Washoe
counties. Forecast soundings even suggest there may be enough
instability aloft to support occasional lightning embedded in
these rain bands. Farther south, weak instability ahead of an
impinging shortwave may produce isolated showers near and west of
the Tahoe Basin, but odds of this are only 15% or less.

The upper low finally dislodges and lifts northeast towards the
northern Rockies as the day progresses. As it does, colder air aloft
will overspread warming surface temperatures in Lassen County/the
Surprise Valley and far N Washoe County this afternoon. Resultant
weak instability will support a 10-30% chance of rain showers and
isolated thunderstorms during the afternoon in this area before
activity tapers in the evening. Elsewhere, areas of smoke and haze
from the Floriston and Dome fires are forecast to filter into far
western NV roughly along I-80, and into portions of Mono and
Mineral counties this afternoon as W/SW wind gusts of 25-30 mph
return. This may lead to periods of degraded air quality over the
next couple of days -- including the Greater Reno/Sparks area --
but severity will depend on fire activity.

Breezy E/NE winds will develop along and west of the Sierra crest
Friday into Saturday morning in the wake of a dry frontal
passage. As such, those recreating in the high Sierra elevations
may be greeted by brisk temperatures Saturday morning. Assuming
the Floriston and Dome fires are still actively burning, this
change in wind direction will alleviate smoke impacts across the
Reno area but shift smoke into Tahoe communities on Friday.
Meanwhile, smoke from the Dome Fire will be directed away from
Mono and Mineral counties, helping to improve air quality.

Transient high pressure will provide a dry weekend with warmer,
more seasonable temperatures. Weak low pressure will approach
from the eastern Pacific and pass to our south between Sunday and
Tuesday. The main response is a slight increase in rain and
thunderstorm chances along the E Sierra south of Tahoe early next
week. However, confidence on this remains low given uncertainty in
how far south of a track the low assumes. Moreover, attendant
moisture is unimpressive, so any shower/storm activity will tend
to be more limited. The more likely outcome is a mild and dry week
with cumulus build-ups in the afternoons.

-Salas

&&

.AVIATION...

S/SW FL100 winds around 30 kts will maintain minor LLWS and mountain
wave turbulence concerns in the Sierra through 12Z. Light morning
winds will become W/SW gusts of 20-25 kts after 19Z this afternoon.

Smoke from the Floriston fire may reduce visibilities at KRNO this
afternoon, but to what extent is dependent on fire activity. A wind
shift may redirect smoke impacts/VIS reductions away from KRNO and
toward KTRK-KTVL on Friday.

-Salas

&&

.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...None.
CA...None.
&&

$$