Wednesday was not quite as windy as last week, but a close second. Peak wind gusts topped 40 mph throughout much of Reno on Wednesday, and 50 mph in the western Basin and Range. Blowing dust was also a possibility. Strong winds can develop in front of a system, but they can also develop on the backside of one. That is what happened on Wednesday.
A change in temperature changes the pressure, thereby tightening the pressure gradient. The tighter the pressure gradient, the stronger the wind gusts will be. Living in a mountainous area, elevation can also play a role. Highs on Tuesday were in the mid-60s, the upper 50s on Wednesday, and close to 50 degrees on Thursday. This is enough of a pressure and temperature change to increase wind speeds.
Winds usually change direction behind a front as well, coming out of the west or southwest before the front moves through, and then turning more northerly behind it. For much of the country, a southerly wind is common before a front moves through…