Sparks, Nevada Weather
Coastal fog thickens at dawn. Day 76 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Sparks weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Overcast——86°54°—
- ThursdayJun 4Clear——89°53°+3°
- FridayJun 5Overcast——91°56°+2°
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast——81°62°-10°
- SundayJun 7Overcast——75°54°-6°
- MondayJun 8Overcast——79°58°+4°
- TuesdayJun 9Overcast11%—77°59°-2°
Ozone at AQI 71 now. AQI up 8 over the last 6 hours (gradual rise). With UV 11 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 72 by mid-afternoon.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 71 now. With UV 11 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 72 by mid-afternoon.
- Present
- AQI 71
- UV peak
- 10.7 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- partly cloudy
- Projected peak
- AQI 72
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5/PM10 ratio 0.56 with 15 mph wind — characteristic of long-range haze transport rather than a local source.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.56
- Wind
- breezy
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- transport
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
- Moonrise
- 5:52 AM
- Moonset
- 3:04 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Coastal fog thickens at dawn
Sparks at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 11°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: April 13 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 3, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | — | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
Sparks's warmest month is July (~77°F mean) and its coldest is December (~36°F). Rainfall peaks in January (1.3 inches) and bottoms out in August (0.2 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 37° | 1.3″ | 3 |
| February | 40° | 1.0″ | 3 |
| March | 45° | 0.9″ | 2 |
| April | 50° | 0.5″ | 2 |
| May | 59° | 0.6″ | 2 |
| June | 68° | 0.5″ | 1 |
| July | 77° | 0.3″ | 1 |
| August | 75° | 0.2″ | 1 |
| September | 68° | 0.2″ | 1 |
| October | 55° | 0.6″ | 2 |
| November | 44° | 0.7″ | 2 |
| December | 36° | 1.2″ | 3 |
Regional context
Sparks sits within a hot-summer Mediterranean climate region, a cohort sharing similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions across nearby cities.
Similar climates: Reno, NV, Carson City, NV, Fernley, NV, Sun Valley, NV, Spanish Springs, NV.
Naturalist notes
By late May, mule deer in the Truckee Meadows are dropping their fawns in the brushy draws along the river corridor.
Barn swallows return to the lower Truckee River in April and are actively feeding nestlings under bridge overhangs through the end of May.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Sparks?
- Sparks's last spring frost typically falls around mid-April, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-November.
- What is the rainy season in Sparks?
- January is the wettest month with about 1.3 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 8 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Sparks?
- July is typically warmest, averaging about 77°F.
- What is the coldest month in Sparks?
- December is typically coldest, averaging about 36°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Sparks?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-April); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Sparks get?
- Sparks averages about 23 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Sparks?
- Sparks's hardiness zone is determined by its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Sparks, Nevada falls within a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. January means hover near 37°F while July averages 77°F — a 40°F seasonal swing.
The city receives about 8 inches of precipitation annually, spread over roughly 23 rainy days.
Latitude (39.6°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation set the rhythm of the year. They shape what grows, when frost is likely, and the day-to-day weather story.