Moving in November in Reno and Sparks

November is the month when winter conditions take hold in the Sierra and the valley follows. Freezing mornings climb from 5.4 in October to 19.3, the sun sets before 5 pm and Truckee's ranger station averages 11.9 inches of snow. A November move needs a morning start and a plan for the weather.

Winter is arriving

Reno's November normals show a 56.7 F high, 31.0 F low and 0.62 inches of precipitation. Frost on steps and driveways is normal, and a first snowfall in the valley is possible. Salt or sand your own steps before the crew arrives.

At Truckee the high is 50.9 F and the low is 21.2 F, with 28.4 days at or below freezing. A mountain home may have snow on the ground before the month ends.

The clock change and a 4:45 pm sunset

Daylight saving time ends in early November. On November 15 the sun rises at about 6:43 am and sets at about 4:45 pm, which is 10.1 hours of light. A job that begins at 8 am has fewer than nine hours before dark.

For a long-distance load, ask your estimator how the day is scheduled, and have every box taped and labeled the day before.

Thanksgiving week

Thanksgiving week is a travel week, and many households try to move then to use time off work. Ask early about Wednesday and the days around it, and expect heavy traffic on Interstate 80 and US 395.

Wrap the kitchen last and unwrap it first so the holiday meal is possible in the new home. Pack your good serving dishes in a clearly marked carton that rides in the first load.

Passes and chains

Caltrans warns that you may have only about a mile between a Chains Required sign and the checkpoint, and chain controls can change quickly. Look at Caltrans and Nevada 511 before you leave, and plan the Tahoe delivery for the earlier part of the day.

If you want your belongings held until the weather settles, see long-term household storage, with vault storage from $40 per month.