Forecasting the weather in Nevada presents unique challenges due to the state’s distinctive geography and limited resources, according to experts. Dawn Johnson, a warning coordination meteorologist, explained that the Sierra Nevada Mountains play a significant role in the state’s weather patterns. “We’ve got a little mountain range to the west, so once it reaches the Sierra Nevada mountain range that is the big difference. It acts as a blocking and modifying mechanism for our weather systems as they come in,” said Johnson. This natural barrier traps moisture carried by winds from the Pacific Ocean, contributing to Nevada’s status as the driest state in the country. The National Weather Service office in Reno operates with significantly fewer weather stations than neighboring California, with only about 60 compared to California’s 100.