A Red Flag Warning in effect Tuesday for the northern Sierra Front including Carson City, Douglas, Storey, Southern Washoe, Western Lyon and southern Lassen counties. Also, poor air quality has returned as winds have shifted, again bringing more drift smoke from California fires into the northern Nevada region.
The National Weather Service in Reno issued a Red Flag Warning for thunderstorms and strong outflow winds of 40 mph to 50 mph, which is in effect from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.
Isolated to scattered thunderstorms with little, or limited, rainfall is possible in the effected areas. Lightning can create new fire starts and may combine with strong outflow winds to cause a fire to rapidly grow in size and intensity before first responders can contain them.
As of 2:35 p.m. Doppler radar didn't show any significant storm systems building in the Reno, Carson City, Carson Valley and Lyon County areas. But that could change at anytime.
If thunderstorms do arrive they may be a hybrid of wet and dry, but the faster storm motions will likely allow for lightning strikes outside of the main thunderstorm cores. With resources already stretched thin, any new fire starts will be an issue, according to the weather service.
Forecasters advise people should avoid outdoor activities that can cause a spark near dry vegetation, such as yard work, target shooting, or campfires.
Meanwhile, with ongoing fires across California and the rest of the western U.S., air quality and visibility are being affected in many areas, including Reno, Carson City, Carson Valley and Lyon County by smoke particles and haze. As of 2:35 p.m. the air quality in the Reno area was "Unhealthy" and was "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" in the Carson City, Carson Valley and Lyon County areas.
For air quality and fire conditions across the West (and for the rest of the country), go to AIRNOW. gov.
