Reno records warmest fall in 112 years of record keeping

Scott Sonner

Thursday, Dec. 2, 1999 | 9:58 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - Western Nevada has just completed its warmest fall in the 112 years weather records have been kept and an accompanying lack of precipitation is keeping the Sierra snow pack to a minimum.

The second warmest November, fifth warmest October and fourth warmest September combined to create the record fall warmth in Reno.

"That's pretty significant. A record over 100 years is a long time," state climatologist John James said Thursday.

All of Nevada experienced unusually warm weather, but not as mild as the western portion of the state, he said.

The average temperature of 46.7 degrees in Reno in November was 6.4 degrees above normal. The warmest November ever was in 1926 when the temperature averaged 47.8 compared to the typical 40.3 degrees, James said.

September and October also were more than 5 degrees warmer than average, he said.

The warm weather made for an unusually dry fall in western Nevada as well, James said.

Through October, Reno had recorded 4.35 inches of precipitation, compared to the normal 6.54 inches, the National Weather Service said. Only 1.42 inches of that has come since July 1 - about half the normal amount.

"The upper mountain slopes that usually have a thick, white mantle by this time of year are barren," James said.

That will cause some concern for area farmers and others who count on a heavy snow pack to translate into water supplies for spring and summer crops.

"It has been wet in the Sierra the past five years so some are going to be wondering, 'Is it going to be a dry winter?" James said Thursday.

"It's hard to tell. We've had dry falls followed by dry winters but we've also had dry falls that turn into wet winters," he said.