--- title: First Snow in Reno: A bay-Side Checklist | Xpress Oil & Lube url: https://xpressoilandlube.com/blog/first-snow-checklist/ business: Xpress Oil & Lube (Xpress Oil & Lube Center) shops: Reno Northwest: 6100 Mae Anne Ave, Reno, NV 89523, (775) 787-1000, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-4 pm, Sun closed; Reno South: 4993 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502, (775) 828-6996, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-3 pm, Sun closed; Carson City: 1861 E College Pkwy, Carson City, NV 89706, (775) 883-5823, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-4 pm, Sun closed; Gardnerville: 1293 US Hwy 395 N, Gardnerville, NV 89410, (775) 301-5912, Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm, Sat 9 am-3 pm, Sun closed type: Drive-in oil change and vehicle maintenance, no appointment needed, since 1983 --- Today's coupons - $10 off full-service oil change - $5 off smog check - $25 off transmission fluid service [See all coupons](https://xpressoilandlube.com/coupons/) - [Home](https://xpressoilandlube.com/) - [Blog](https://xpressoilandlube.com/blog/) - Before the first snow on the Mount Rose Highway # First snow checklist: what to sort out before the Sierra lets go Before the first snow, have the battery tested, the coolant checked for freeze protection, the wiper blades and washer fluid replaced if tired, and the headlights confirmed working. Reno averages 122 freezing nights a year and about 21 inches of snow, most of it from November through March (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). ★★★★★ 4.7 stars from 952 Google reviews Every fall there is a morning when the Mount Rose Highway webcam shows white, the airport reports its first freeze, and the bays at all four service centers fill with cars that would not start, wipers that smeared, and heaters blowing cool. It is a predictable rush. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals put Reno's first measurable snow in November on average, with 1.8 inches that month and 5.2 inches in each of December, January and February. Carson City averages 14 inches a year and Minden almost 22. The week before that first storm is the time to pull in, and this is what we look at. ## The battery, because cold is where it fails A battery that cranked fine at 60 F can quit at 20 F. Cold slows the chemistry inside it while thick oil makes the engine harder to turn. Reno sees 25 nights a year at or below 20 F, Carson City 43, Minden 75 (NOAA 1991-2020). The Car Care Council suggests testing a battery after three years and before every winter in a cold climate, and a [battery check](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/battery-check/) at a participating location takes the guesswork out. The test gives a number, not a feeling. If it is marginal, you decide whether to replace it now or carry jumper cables. Our [cold-weather battery guide](https://xpressoilandlube.com/guides/car-battery-cold-weather/) explains what the number means. ## Coolant: freeze protection is the winter half of the job Most people think of coolant as a summer concern. It is both. The same fluid that keeps the engine from boiling on an August afternoon has to stay liquid on a January night, and Minden averages two nights a year at or below 0 F (NOAA 1991-2020). A system that has been topped off with water all summer may have lost its freeze margin. During the [maintenance check](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/maintenance-check/) the technician looks at the level and the condition. If the protection is low, a [coolant flush](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/coolant-flush/) restores it to the manufacturer's mix. A heater that blows cool is often the first symptom of low coolant, so mention it when you pull in. ## Wipers, washer fluid and the view out Nevada sun bakes wiper rubber all summer, and the first wet snow is when you find out. Streaking, chattering or a blade that lifts at highway speed means it is done. [Wiper blades](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/wiper-blades/) are stocked at every service center and installed in the bay. Washer fluid matters more than people expect. Summer fluid or water freezes in the reservoir and the lines. Winter fluid with freeze protection is what goes in at this time of year, and it is part of the fill at every oil change. - Blades: replace if they streak, chatter or skip - Washer fluid: winter-rated, topped off - Headlights and tail lights: checked at every visit, bulbs replaced on request - Tire pressure: set to the door-jamb number, since cold air drops it ## Oil and the morning start Oil thickens as it cools, and a cold engine on a cold morning runs on thick oil until it warms up. That is why manufacturers specify multi-grade oils like 0W-20 and 5W-30 and why the winter grade on the cap matters. If your manual lists a lighter winter grade for cold climates, this is the visit to switch. [Full synthetic](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/oil-change/full-synthetic/) flows better cold than conventional, which is one reason many manuals now require it. Short winter trips also count as severe service in most manuals: the engine never fully warms, moisture collects in the oil, and the interval shortens. The [winter seasonal page](https://xpressoilandlube.com/seasonal/winter/) covers the whole list, but the short version is the same at all four service centers: come in before the storm, not after. The week before the first snow is quiet at mid-morning on a weekday, and no appointment is needed. ### Sources - [ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals) (NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals: Reno airport 121.9 nights at or below 32 F, 25.1 at or below 20 F, 20.9 inches snow, Nov 1.8 in, Dec-Feb 5.2 in each; Carson City 14.0 in snow, 42.8 nights at or below 20 F; Minden 21.8 in, 75.1 nights at or below 20 F, 2.1 at or below 0 F, read 2026-10-15) - [carcare.org/car-care-guide/](https://www.carcare.org/car-care-guide/) (Car Care Council: test the battery after three years and before winter in a cold climate, read 2026-10-15) ### Your service center: Reno Northwest - Call [(775) 787-1000](tel:+17757871000) Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-4 pm, Sun closed - Address 6100 Mae Anne Ave, Reno, NV 89523 [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=6100+Mae+Anne+Ave%2C+Reno%2C+NV+89523&destination_place_id=ChIJ3dFA7yBEmYARYg1CtQTi_Bk) Drive in. No appointment. Drive out. Locally owned in Northern Nevada since 1983. No appointment, no pressure: we tell you what the inspection found and you decide. [About us](https://xpressoilandlube.com/about/) ### Keep reading - [Winter](https://xpressoilandlube.com/seasonal/winter/) - [Before winter](https://xpressoilandlube.com/checklists/before-winter/) - [Getting your car ready for a Reno winter](https://xpressoilandlube.com/guides/winter-car-prep-reno/) - [Battery check](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/battery-check/) - [Coolant flush and cooling system service](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/coolant-flush/) - [Windshield wiper blades](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/wiper-blades/) ## More on seasons [Seasons Wildfire smoke and the filter you forgot your car has The cabin air filter is the only thing between a smoky August and the air you breathe on I-580, and it loads up fast in a bad year. Read more](https://xpressoilandlube.com/blog/wildfire-smoke-cabin-filter/)[Seasons Tahoe trips and your car: what the climb asks of it Mount Rose Highway tops out near 8,900 feet, and every trip up and back is severe service by the definition in your owner's manual. Read more](https://xpressoilandlube.com/blog/tahoe-trips-and-your-car/)[Seasons Spring pollen and the two filters that catch it Sagebrush, juniper and cottonwood do their thing every spring, and the yellow film on the hood is also inside the vents. Read more](https://xpressoilandlube.com/blog/spring-pollen-and-filters/) ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call your service center or drive in; there is no appointment to make. ### When does the first snow usually hit Reno? NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show 1.8 inches at the Reno airport in November and 5.2 inches a month from December through February. The valley floor often sees its first measurable snow in November, the Mount Rose Highway earlier. ### Can you install snow tires or chains? No. We check tire pressure and look at the tread during the maintenance check, but tire work goes to a tire shop. Carry chains for the Tahoe passes regardless. ### Is a block heater worth it here? Rarely in Reno or Carson City. Minden averages two nights at or below 0 F a year (NOAA), and a healthy battery with the right oil grade handles that. ### Do all four service centers do the battery test? Battery testing is offered at participating locations. Ask when you pull in, or call the service center before you come if the battery is the reason for the visit.