The first annular solar eclipse in nearly 18 years will occur this evening  and the Reno-Lake Tahoe region, situated directly in the 'path of annularity' is poised for exceptional viewing.

A solar eclipse will occur over the western US today during the late afternoon and early evening. This event will begin as a partial eclipse around 5:15 PM, then peak as an annular eclipse around 6:30 PM for less than 5 minutes, and finally return to a partial eclipse which will end around 7:30 PM.

Mostly clear skies are expected during the eclipse with very good viewing conditions for the Lake Tahoe basin and the Reno-Carson City vicinity. Temperatures will range from the upper 70s to the mid 80s in lower elevations, and 65-70 degrees in the Tahoe basin.

The next total or annular solar eclipse will not occur directly over western Nevada or eastern California until August 2045.

For extensive coverage and information about the event, and important guidelines for watching the eclipse (extreme caution is advised), see the articles below:

Huffington Post - Solar Eclipse 2012: How To See The May 20 Annular Eclipse

LA TImes - Solar eclipse 2012: California likely to offer impressive views

NASA - NASA - Annular Solar Eclipse of 2012 May 20

IMPORTANT: A few words of caution...

If you ever want to view an eclipse, the first thing you must know is this:
Never view the sun with the naked eye or with any optical device, such as binoculars or a telescope!

This is more than advice. Why? As a kid, did you ever take a magnifying glass out into the sun and burn leaves? If so, you probably remember that when the focused sunlight coming through the lens was refracted and concentrated to a small spot, the energy available there was truly remarkable. Guess what? You have a lens just like that in your eye. If you look at the sun, your eye-lens will concentrate the sun's light and focus it to a very small spot on the back of your retina. This can cause permanent eye damage or blindness. Additionally, there are no pain sensors back there so you won't even know it's happening! Have I scared the willies out of you? Good!

The above warning courtesy of www.Exploratorium.edu