Update: The National Weather Service is adjusting the clock from 2 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday

The last tomatoes on the vine on Sunday will not suddenly be ripe before the predicted frost arrives on Friday.
Photo by Kurt Hildebrand.

The Carson Valley's long summer is expected to end abruptly this week as a cold storm could cause low temperatures to drop to near 20 degrees by Friday morning and snow depths to drop to the valley floor.

The National Weather Service issued a freeze warning Monday afternoon for most of Western Nevada, including Carson Valley, from 2 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday.

“Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops and other sensitive vegetation and potentially damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” the release said.

Temperatures are expected to drop to 21 degrees on Friday morning and 23 degrees on Saturday morning.

The record lows in Minden on October 18th were 17 degrees from 1946 and 14 degrees from October 19th, 1917.

“Currently, snow levels appear to be close to Friday morning
4,000-5,000 feet,” National Weather Service meteorologist Hector Crespo said Monday. “That could be problematic with the rain showers
expected on Thursday, and not enough time to dry the streets
before the cold air settles in. So keep an eye out for the road
Conditions Thursday night through Friday morning.”

Crespo said snow could fall in the valley if the storm arrives earlier than expected.

“In other words, stay weather aware over the next few days like there
There is still a lot of uncertainty about how this system will behave
towards the end of the week,” he said.

On the other side of the storm, temperatures are expected to warm slightly with weaker winds, he said.