The Latest: Winter weather advisory for Reno; sub-zero Ely

RENO, Nev. – The Latest on the snow and bitter cold in northern Nevada (all times local):

11:10 a.m.

The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a winter weather advisory for a large swath of western Nevada along the Sierra’s eastern front stretching from south of Carson City all the way north to the Oregon line.

The advisory effective from 7 p.m. Tuesday through 10 a.m. Wednesday includes Gardnerville, Virginia City and the Reno-Sparks area, where up to 2 inches (5 centimetres) of snow is possible and up to 4 inches (10 cm) in the foothills above 5,000 feet (1,524 metres).

No snow is in the forecast for northeast Nevada but a bitter cold front has a grip on the region with sub-zero temperatures. Overnight lows fell early Tuesday to minus-5 degrees (-20.5 Celsius) in Eureka, minus-2 (-18.9 C) in Ely near the Utah line and 3 degrees (-16 C) in Elko.

The low at Elko isn’t expected to rise above 15 degrees (-9 C) until the weekend.

9:50 a.m.

Chains or snow tires are required on about a 12-mile (19 kilometres) stretch of U.S. Interstate 80 east of Reno where icy conditions have caused a series of spinouts and fender-benders west of Fernley.

Chains or snow tires also are required on the Mount Rose Highway connecting Reno to Lake Tahoe, but I-80 over the Sierra summit remains open and no controls have been ordered on most other area mountain passes.

The National Weather Service says about an inch (2.5 centimetres) of snow was recorded early Tuesday at Fernley and Fallon.

The Nevada Highway Patrol reported multiple weather-related crashes on I-80 near Fernley as a result of a thin layer of ice and snow that coated roadways overnight.

Authorities say at least four accidents caused a series of traffic delays. No injuries have been reported.