Wind advisory issued, rain to continue in Carson City today

A winter storm is expected to bring strong winds to the valleys today.

The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a wind advisory from noon to 7 p.m. today (Wednesday).

Heavy rain greeted Wednesday morning commuters and was expected to continue throughout the day.

The rain is supposed to clear by Thursday, with partly cloudy days expected through the weekend.

Heading into this week, Carson City had received 6.83 inches of precipitation this year. Average year to day for March 4, is 3.39 inches.

Despite the increase in precipitation, the Carson River is running about 3.5 feet. Flood stage is about 10 feet.

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At Lake Tahoe, snow totals could range from 12-18 inches above 7,000 feet and zero to 5 inches at lake level, NWS predicted.

Those totals are in addition to the half foot of snow that some Tahoe area ski resorts reported Wednesday morning.

Peak snowfall is expected through midday at the lake, with rain later in the day.

Winds as strong as 45 mph at the lake and gusts up to 100 mph across ridgetops are possible Wednesday.

Travel could be very difficult,” the weather service warns. “The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. Very strong winds could cause extensive tree damage.”

High temperatures are expected to climb to 40 degrees in South Lake Tahoe Wednesday and Thursday. A cold front is expected to move into the region Friday.