Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Elko, NV
Issued by NWS Elko, NV
534 FXUS65 KLKN 141923 AFDLKN Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Elko NV 1223 PM PDT Tue Oct 14 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1223 PM PDT Tue Oct 14 2025 * Winter Storm Warning for the Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range * Periods of precipitation throughout Northern and Central Nevada tonight through Wednesday night * Light snow on passes and summits along Highway 50 tonight and Wednesday morning * Warming trend this weekend && .DISCUSSION... (This afternoon through Monday) WEATHER PATTERN OVERVIEW: An upper-level area of low pressure over the Eastern Pacific Ocean will move onshore into Central California this afternoon. This cyclone aloft will progress northeastward across the Silver State tonight through Wednesday night. Precipitation ahead of this atmospheric disturbance will spread northward through Central Nevada this afternoon. Periods of precipitation are expected throughout Northern and Central Nevada tonight through Wednesday night. Snow levels will start at around 7,000 feet this afternoon, before dropping to about 6,000 feet tonight. Snow will be heavy at times in the Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range. As a result, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect. Light snow is anticipated on passes and summits along Highway 50 tonight and Wednesday morning. Snow amounts will generally be an inch or less. Closer to the valley floor, rain amounts should vary from one quarter of an inch to one half of an inch. Here are probabilities of rain amounts of one quarter of an inch or more for locations in Northern and Central Nevada tonight through Wednesday night: Wells - 80% Ely - 75% Jackpot - 74% Eureka - 70% Spring Creek - 69% Tonopah - 69% Austin - 62% Carlin - 59% Elko - 56% Winnemucca - 52% A ridge of high pressure will build eastward across the Silver State Thursday and Friday. A ridge of high pressure will move eastward across the Western United States Saturday. A trough of low pressure over the Pacific Northwest will approach Northern Nevada Sunday. A cold front should move through Northern and Central Nevada Sunday night, leading to much cooler weather Monday. Maximum temperatures throughout Northern and Central Nevada Monday afternoon will be around fifteen degrees cooler than Sunday afternoon. FORECAST CONFIDENCE & DEVIATIONS: High forecast confidence in the Winter Storm Warning for the Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range. High forecast confidence in periods of precipitation throughout Northern and Central Nevada tonight through Wednesday night. Moderate forecast confidence in light snow on passes and summits along Highway 50 tonight and Wednesday morning. Moderate forecast confidence regarding a warming trend this weekend. No deviations from the NBM model output. && .AVIATION... VFR conditions at all terminals this afternoon. MVFR conditions are likely at KWMC, KELY, KTPH, and KBAM tonight and Wednesday morning due to rainfall. MVFR conditions are conceivable at KEKO and KENV tonight and Wednesday morning. This possibility is not great enough to include in the terminal forecasts at this time. AMD NOT SKED for KTPH due to missing observations. && .FIRE WEATHER... A storm system will impact Northern and Central Nevada tonight through Wednesday night, resulting in periods of precipitation. Snow levels will start at around 7,000 feet, before falling to about 6,000 feet tonight. The majority of precipitation will fall tonight. A warming trend is expected this weekend, before much cooler weather Monday. && .LKN Watches/Warnings/Advisories... Winter Storm Warning from 5 PM this afternoon to 5 AM PDT Thursday NVZ034. && $$ 87