October checklist
- Remove dead and hanging limbs before the first storm
- Clear fallen leaves and needles from Zone 0
- Keep watering until the soil freezes
- Drain hoses and shut off exterior spigots
- Stack firewood off the ground, away from the house
- Sign up for snow service before the first storm
- Check large trees near roofs and drives
The Reno airport's mean falls almost 12 degrees from September, to 55.1 F, with a low of 39.7 F. Glenbrook's October precipitation of 1.00 inch is 3.6 times its September 0.28. Weather turns on this month.
October weather at five stations
Snow shows up on the books at Reno (0.1 inches) and Minden (0.2). Precipitation is 0.50 inches at the Reno airport, 0.55 at Carson City, 0.61 at Minden and 0.40 at Fallon. Lows fall to 36.3 F at Carson City and 30.9 F at Minden.
| Station (elevation, ft) | Mean temp (F) | Precip (in.) | Snow (in.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reno airport (4,410) | 55.1 | 0.50 | 0.1 |
| Carson City (4,761) | 52.2 | 0.55 | 0.0 |
| Minden (4,709) | 51.1 | 0.61 | 0.2 |
| Glenbrook (Tahoe) (6,350) | 48.6 | 1.00 | no normal |
| Fallon (3,965) | 51.9 | 0.40 | 0.0 |
Station normals, not town averages. NOAA flags Glenbrook's temperature normals as reduced completeness and publishes no snowfall normal there.
What the trees are doing
Deciduous trees color and drop leaves, and conifers shed their oldest, innermost needles, which is normal. A crown that fades evenly with pitch tubes on the trunk is not normal. See when a pine turns brown.
Jobs that fit October
Three things the numbers point to (the October tree care post has the full checklist). First, Minden's average October low is 30.9 F, just under freezing so freezes are close: drain hoses. Second, heavy wet snow can bend limbs past recovery, so ask for dead wood and weak unions to be dealt with now. Third, snow service lists fill before the first storm. See October tree care in Carson City and Reno and getting trees ready for Sierra snow load.
Snow service and firewood
Our snow team plows, hauls, shovels and salts homes and businesses, and is available around the clock in snow season. Ongoing customers can ask about a custom flat rate. Ask whether your address is on the route. For firewood, call the office for availability and pricing, and stack it off the ground with the top covered.
Valley versus lake
On the lake, October's precipitation is much higher than the valleys', and the snow season is close. Rules for removals and defensible space come from TRPA and the fire district. Call 775.232.8243 for a free estimate. A certified arborist assesses every job before work begins, and messages are returned within 8 hours.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly (Reno airport USW00023185, Carson City USC00261485, Minden USC00265191, Glenbrook USC00263205, Fallon Exp Stn USC00262780) (pulled October 17, 2026)
- University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Should I Water my Trees in the Winter? (Jensen, 2026) (read October 17, 2026)
- University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Living With Fire (SP-23-07) (read October 17, 2026)
- University of Wisconsin Extension: Seasonal needle drop normal on evergreens (out-of-state source) (read October 17, 2026)
- Tahoe Regional Planning Agency: Trees and Defensible Space (read October 1, 2026)