Persistent Stormy Weather Pattern Pounds Reno

If you think it's been cloudy and raining a lot for a June in Reno, you are right. As I write, yet another thunderstorm is about to dump its water on the Truckee Meadows, and it isn't likely to be spring's last damp day. For the last three weeks or so, we've been stuck in a weather pattern that has brought more rainy days than not, and it could stick around for quite some time. As of Sunday, June 14, we've had 1.45 inches of rain, which is in the top 10 of Reno's wettest Junes. The June record is 1.94 inches measured in 1920. According to National Weather Service meteoroligist Mark Deutschendorf, we have a good shot at setting a new mark because, as long as the unstable air persists, the precipitation will keep on coming over the Sierra.

Current conditions are forecast to ease up later in the week, just in time for a nice weekend that will include the Reno Rodeo, Tour de Nez, and Father's Day. Sunday the 21st is the summer solstice and it looks like we'll actually get some appropriate weather for the seasonal change.

More weird weather is a distinct possibility, however. The Western Regional Climate Center in Reno is reporting the formation of an El Nino, the warming of Pacific Ocean waters near the equator and off the west coast of South America. This periodic phenomenon is known to influence weather over a wide area, reducing precipitation in some areas and increasing it in others. The Reno / Tahoe region is in a place where either condition could prevail. Time will tell which way it goes for us.

Sources: National Weather Service, Reno Gazette-Journal.

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