Update: High winds cause power outages, downed trees and debris

One of the patios at DST Coffee was blown over in the high winds that swept through the Carson Valley early Friday morning.

One of the shelters on DST Coffee’s patio was blown over by strong winds through Gardnerville on Friday morning.

Gusts of nearly 80 mph toppled fences and unsecured items in the Carson Valley during a high wind warning set to expire at 6 p.m. 13.00 today.

A wind gust of 101 mph was recorded at 4:20 at the Heavenly Gondola mid-station just west of East Peak over the California line from Douglas County.

From 11 a.m NVenergy.com had no power outages listed.

Nvroads.com showed that chain control had been lifted from the Kingsbury Grade.

A winter weather advisory for Lake Tahoe and its environs was canceled at 9:34 a.m. after forecasters said the snow threat had ended.

“The precipitation was winding down this morning as moisture has become very shallow,” according to National Weather Service Reno Meteorologist Wendell Hohmann. “Webcams show wet roads at Donner Summit with mountaintop sightings indicating snow levels rising to nearly 8,000 feet.”

Hohmann said snow accumulations will be light and above 8,000 feet, with up to an inch near the summit.

Previous history

High winds knocked out power in Carson City near the Douglas County line, with 150 NV Energy customers without power as of about 1 p.m.

NVenergy.com reported a power outage affecting 52 customers in Gardnerville at 4:15, and which was cleared at 5:45.

Around the same time, Home Depot reported debris blowing onto Highway 395 just south of Jacks Valley Road that was cleared by Douglas County deputies.

A 79 mph wind gust was clocked to blast the southern Carson Valley at 3:15 a.m. Friday as another round of strong winds swept through western Nevada.

The gust was the highest so far in a high wind warning that saw power out to 52 NV Energy customers in Gardnerville around 1 p.m. 4:15 a.m. and a report of a large tree down in the 1400 block of Orchard Road.

The warning was scheduled to expire at 1 p.m

Previous history

A windy Christmas Day was just the opening act for even bigger winds expected to arrive at 1 Friday.

A high wind warning was issued by the National Weather Service around 1 p.m. Thursday, urging residents to prepare for west to southwest winds of 25-40 mph, gusting to 70 mph.

Forecasters said winds over the Sierra ridges could hit 140 mph during the event.

“Destructive winds will blow down trees and power lines,” according to the warning. “Widespread power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles. Gusts will blow precarious objects.”

Winds are expected overnight, easing during the late morning hours, but will remain gusty over wind-exposed areas.

On Thursday, the wind started blowing around 1 with a 73 mph gust in Sheridan and 51-62 mph gusts along the foothills from there to Jacks Valley.

NV Energy crews were working in Genoa Thursday morning.

To check outages, visit nvenergy.com.

Precipitation remained light in the Sierra over the Carson Valley as of Thursday afternoon.

Heavenly Mountain Resort reported 8 inches of snow from the Christmas Eve storm. Sheridan reported a little more than a quarter inch of rain.

The storm left a light dusting of snow along the Sierra foothills.