Nice weekend could give way to new front next week

It was balloon flying weather on Friday morning with at least three drifting over the skies of Gardnerville.

Relatively still conditions will stick around over the long weekend, with cold mornings and mild high temperatures.

While the still winds are good news for balloons, it also means an inversion will keep smoke generated by controlled burns, woodstoves and fireplaces near the floor of the Carson Valley.

There is a slight chance that the first moisture will arrive early Tuesday morning with the possibility of flurries in the Valley.

Once the storm arrives, it’s forecast to stick around for a bit, bringing as much as a half inch of rain to the Valley.

National Weather Service Reno Meteorologist Wendell Hohmann said there’s a chance that precipitation could continue through Friday, with conditions favoring 1-2 feet of snow along the crest in Mono County and a foot along the crest south of Lake Tahoe.

However, that prediction is a little sketchy with five days to go.

“There is still a large boom-bust potential for the east side of the Sierra giving the initial southerly flow ahead of this system, in addition to the possibility of a more southern track,” he said. “While confidence in the magnitude and details is still below average this morning, especially given the storm is still 5 days or so out, be sure to pay close attention to the forecast and its trends. Gusty winds, mountain snow and valley rain could bring significant impacts to travel and outdoor activities, especially throughout the Sierra.”