Fire Weather Watch for Lake Tahoe - Gusty winds as temperatures drop

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There is a Fire Weather Watch in effect from 5:00 p.m. Sunday through Monday at 5:00 p.m. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno is calling for gusty winds and low humidity for the Lake Tahoe Basin through western Lassen County.

* Affected Area...Fire Zone 271 Western Lassen, Eastern Plumas, Eastern Sierra, and Eastern Nevada Counties and Fire Zone 272 Greater Lake Tahoe Area.

* Winds...Northeast winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts of 30 to 35 mph. Higher gusts of 40 to 50 mph are possible along mid-slopes and wind-prone areas with gusts of 70+ mph along the Sierra Crest.

* Humidity...15-25%. Humidity may stay above usual warning criteria, but with very dry fuel conditions the strong winds will still be capable of efficient fire spread.

* Impacts...The combination of gusty winds and low humidity can cause fire to rapidly grow in size and intensity before first responders can contain them.

The winds will bring a strong cold front to the area and it will move through with
much colder temperatures. There is an increasing chance that highs Sunday into Monday may only be in the 40s. Overnight lows Monday and Tuesday mornings may only be in the teens and lower 20s in western Nevada with single digits in the Sierra valleys. A few below zero readings are not out of the question either. In addition, those gusty winds behind the front Sunday into Monday morning will make it feel even colder.

Sensitive plants should be moved indoors. With the much colder temperatures Sunday into early next week, be sure to drain all outdoor irrigation systems.

The four-day forecast from NWS Reno:

Friday - Sunny, with a high near 66. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Friday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 32. South wind around 5 mph.

Saturday - Sunny, with a high near 66. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 31. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday - A slight chance of rain before 8am, then a slight chance of rain and snow between 8am and 11am, then a slight chance of rain after 11am. Snow level 7700 feet lowering to 6700 feet in the afternoon . Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Sunday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 19. Breezy.

Monday - Sunny, with a high near 49. Breezy.

Monday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 19.