The Washoe Valley, along with much of the region in the lee of the Sierra Nevada mountains, is known for its occasionally strong winds. These sometimes require the closing of U.S. 395, the principal north-south highway, to high profile vehicles. One of these, known as the Washoe Zephyr, occurs during the summer, sometimes daily.
Describing the Washoe Zephyr as it occurred while he was in Carson City, Mark Twain wrote:
"A Washoe wind is by no means a trifling matter. It blows flimsy houses down, lifts shingle roofs occasionally, rolls up tin ones like sheet music, now and then blows a stage-coach over and spills the passengers; and tradition says the reason there are so many bald people there is, that the wind blows the hair off their heads while they are looking skyward after their hats."
Transportation
The valley is a main thoroughfare in northern Nevada, with Interstate 580/US 395 and US 395 Alt passing along the base of the Sierra Nevada at the western edge of the valley, connecting Reno and Carson City. The Virginia & Truckee Railroad used to pass through this transportation corridor from 1872 to 1950, with the grade highly visible through the middle of the valley, and many bridges across the creeks near Pagni Canyon were still there (as pictured above) until the Washoe Drive Fire occurred and swept through the canyon. There are also small bridges whose framework is still there farther south along the route.
