Alert archive / Nevada / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 40, NWS Reno, NV

July 21, 2008Churchill County, Nevada

NWS Reno, NV issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 21, 2008, 7:09 PM PDT for Churchill County, Nevada. It was in force for 36 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Jul 21, 2008, 7:09 PM PDT (02:09 UTC)
Expired: Jul 21, 2008, 7:45 PM PDT
In force: 36 min
Issued by: NWS Reno, NV
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Churchill County, NV

The radar

The Reno radar (KRGX), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:10 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Reno, NV (KREV), launched 00:00Z, 2.2 hours before the alert went out and 15 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 19 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 2865 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 18 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 88 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WUUS55 KREV 220211
SVRREV
NVC001-220245-
/O.NEW.KREV.SV.W.0040.080722T0209Z-080722T0245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
709 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL CHURCHILL COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL NEVADA...

* UNTIL 745 PM PDT

* AT 701 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND
  DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF MOUNT LINCOLN...OR ABOUT 22 MILES EAST OF FALLON...AND
  MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  MOUNT LINCOLN BY 720 PM PDT...
  SILVER HILL BY 745 PM PDT...

THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. WATCH FOR
PONDING WATER ON AREA ROADWAYS. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN IF 
ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS AND AVOID DRIVING THROUGH FLOODED LOW SPOTS. 

LAT...LON 3978 11845 3976 11812 3940 11824 3945 11850
TIME...MOT...LOC 0209Z 189DEG 18KT 3951 11835

$$
HOHMANN

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Reno, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 21, 2:07 PM PDT, 5 hours 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 21, 2:07 PM PDT, 5 hours 2 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
207 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

.SHORT TERM...
TSTMS ARE INCREASING IN NUMBER AND POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE SO FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL REMAIN
INTACT...WITH A COUPLE OF ADJUSTMENTS TO SHORTEN THE VALID TIME TO
8 PM IN MONO COUNTY AND EXTEND THE THREAT TO 5 AM FOR THE W-CNTRL
NV BASIN. MODEL GUIDANCE IS NOW IN GOOD AGREEMENT THRU TUESDAY AND
IMPROVED QPF FIELDS IN THE 18Z NAM...WHICH RECEIVED DATA FROM OUR
18Z SPECIAL SOUNDING...IS IN LINE WITH CURRENT FORECAST. FIRST
AREA OF ORGANIZED CONVECTION FROM MINERAL-LYON-DOUGLAS COUNTIES
THIS AFTERNOON WILL SPREAD NORTHEAST ACROSS W-CNTRL NV THIS
EVENING...WITH SECOND AREA OF STORMS DEVELOPING LATER TONIGHT
OVER NERN LASSEN AND NWRN NV LATER TONIGHT IN REGION OF ENHANCED
DYNAMICS AND DEFORMATION ZONE AHEAD OF UPPER LOW TRACKING ACROSS
NRN CA.

A FEW LINGERING TSTMS IN FAR NWRN NV-SURPRISE VALLEY SHOULD END
BY MID MORNING TUESDAY AS THE DYNAMICS AND MOISTURE RAPIDLY LIFT
NORTH OF THE OREGON BORDER. VERY DRY AND STABLE AIR MASS WILL
SPREAD ACROSS REGION ON TUESDAY AND END ANY FURTHER THREAT OF
THUNDERSTORMS. MAX TEMPS WILL REMAIN SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL IN THE
MARGINALLY COOLER AIR MASS BEHIND THE PASSAGE OF THE EJECTING UPPER
LOW.

FOR WED-THURS...DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL WITH A WARMING TREND
TO UPPER 90S AND LOWER 100S IN THE WRN NV VALLEYS BY THURSDAY.
SOME HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE SHEARING OFF FROM HURRICANE FAUSTO COULD
BRING AREAS OF CIRRUS OVER PARTS OF THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY...AND
SOME CUMULUS BUILDUPS ARE PROBABLE BY THURSDAY IN THE MINERAL-MONO
CONVERGENCE ZONE BUT WARM AIR ALOFT AND LACK OF SIGNIFICANT
LIFTING MECHANISM WILL INHIBIT TSTM FORMATION BOTH DAYS. MJD

.LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...
DURING THE LONG TERM HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE SRN CONUS
WITH AN ACTIVE PATTERN ACROSS THE NRN TIER.  ON FRIDAY THE RIDGE IS
PROGGED TO EXTEND FROM THE SRN PLAINS NORTHWARD INTO ALBERTA AND
SASKATCHEWAN.  THIS AMPLIFICATION WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH A SHARP
TROUGH AND BAROCLINIC ZONE MOVING ONTO THE BRITISH COLUMBIA COAST.
THIS SET UP WILL ALLOW FOR A WARM FLOW INTO THE WRN GREAT BASIN.
MONSOONAL MOISTURE SHOULD MAINLY BE CONFINED TO SRN NEVADA.  HOWEVER
...SFC HEATING WILL HELP TO INCREASE LLVL INSTABILITY...AND THIS
WILL CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR ISOLD TSTMS OVER THE FAR SRN
ZONES.

THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW THE SRN RIDGE BUILDING WEST INTO THE SWRN
CONUS ON SATURDAY.  THIS SHOULD VEER THE SYNOPTIC FLOW TO A MORE WLY
DIRECTION.  THIS PATTERN WOULD KEEP MOST OF THE LLVL MOISTURE TO OUR
EAST.  THIS PATTERN IS ALSO PROGGED TO REMAIN FAIRLY STATIONARY
THROUGH MONDAY AS THE PROGRESSIVE ZONAL PATTERN SHOULD REMAIN WELL
TO OUR NORTH.  WITH THE STRONG SFC HEATING EXPECTED THE GFS HAS
NEGATIVE LIFTED INDEX VALUES ACROSS MONO AND MINERAL COUNTIES EACH
AFTN AND EVENING FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY.  AS A RESULT WILL CONTINUE
WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF AFTN AND EVENING TSTMS OVER SRN MONO AND
MINERAL COUNTIES EACH DAY.  TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO BE
SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD.  OHARA

&&

.AVIATION...
TSTMS CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTN AND THIS EVENING.
THE BEST CHANCE OF TSTMS WILL BE FROM 21Z TO 04Z.  THE AIR MASS IS
QUITE MOIST WITH DEW POINTS IN THE 50S ACROSS WRN NEVADA.  HEAVY
RAINFALL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 KTS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER
STORMS.  THE GENERAL FLOW PATTERN OF THE TSTMS WILL BE FROM THE
SOUTH TO THE NORTH...FROM AROUND 180 TO 200 DEG.  DRY AIR WILL
ADVECT INTO THE REGION AFTER 06Z AS THE UPR TROUGH MOVES EAST.
OHARA

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE FOUR CORNERS WILL CONTINUE TO BRING UP
MOISTURE INTO THE WESTERN GREAT BASIN AND NORTHEASTERN SIERRA THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE
INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TONIGHT WILL HELP TO ORGANIZE THUNDERSTORMS
WITH SOME EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE...WITH DOWNBURST WINDS UP TO
60 MPH AND SMALL HAIL.

STORMS IN NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA...CLOSER TO THE UPPER LOW... HAVE
ALREADY SHOWN TO HAVE STORM SPEEDS OF NEAR 30 MPH...WHILE STORMS IN
CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEVADA HAVE SLOWER SPEEDS AROUND 25 MPH. THESE
SPEEDS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO INCREASE AS THE LOW MOVES IN LATER THIS
EVENING. WITH ABUNDANT MOISTURE IN THE REGION TODAY...INCLUDING A
SPECIAL SOUNDING TAKEN AT 18Z THAT SHOWED 0.80 INCH OF PRECIPITABLE
WATER OVER RENO. MOST OF THE STORMS THAT WE SEE THROUGH TONIGHT WILL
HAVE WETTING RAINS...BUT THERE REMAINS A THREAT OF ISOLATED DRY
LIGHTNING AND A FEW NEW FIRE STARTS OUTSIDE OF THE STORM CORES.

DRY AIR WILL MOVE IN QUICKLY BEHIND THE LOW AS IT MOVES TO THE EAST.
THIS WILL WORK TO STABILIZE THE AREA...WITH A SLIGHT POSSIBILITY OF
A LINGERING STORM TUESDAY MORNING IN THE FAR NORTH NEAR THE OREGON
BORDER. HOON

&&

.REV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NV...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR NVZ004-005.

     FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR NVZ001-003.

CA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR CAZ070-071.

     FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR CAZ073.

&&

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 21, 6:11 AM PDT, 12 hours 58 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
611 AM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

CAZ070>073-NVZ001>005-220000-
SURPRISE VALLEY CALIFORNIA-LASSEN-EASTERN PLUMAS-
EASTERN SIERRA COUNTIES-GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA-MONO-
MINERAL AND SOUTHERN LYON COUNTIES-GREATER RENO-CARSON CITY-
MINDEN AREA-WESTERN NEVADA BASIN AND RANGE INCLUDING PYRAMID LAKE-
NORTHERN WASHOE COUNTY-
611 AM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE EASTERN SIERRA...
NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND WESTERN NEVADA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT...
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
WESTERN NEVADA AND NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA. UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM
WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA PROVIDING THE FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND
THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING DUE TO ABUNDANT MOISTURE AND
TRAINING OF THUNDERSTORMS. SMALL HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS...AS
WELL AS FREQUENT LIGHTNING...CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS
THAT DEVELOP. AREAS EAST OF HIGHWAY 395 WILL SEE THE BEST CHANCES
FOR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO MOVE NORTHWARD BY TONIGHT IMPACTING
AREAS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AS WELL AS
STRONG WIND GUSTS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL CONTINUE WITH
THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS FORECAST IN THE FAVORED
CONVERGENCE ZONE IN MONO AND MINERAL COUNTIES TUESDAY THROUGH
FRIDAY. PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND SMALL
HAIL. SATURDAY MAY SEE INCREASED CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
SOUTHERN AND EASTERN NEVADA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER...INCLUDING HEAVY RAINFALL...STRONG THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW
WINDS...HAIL...AND FLASH FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
IN RENO.

SKYWARN ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
FOR POTENTIAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.

MOZLEY

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 21, 6:25 PM PDT, 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
625 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0625 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     FALLON                  39.48N 118.78W
07/21/2008                   CHURCHILL          NV   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SEVERAL REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS CURRENTLY WEST OF
            FALLON.

&&

SMCGUIRE

Local storm report, Jul 21, 6:27 PM PDT, 42 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
627 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0627 PM     HAIL             FALLON                  39.48N 118.78W
07/21/2008  M1.00 INCH       CHURCHILL          NV   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HAIL ACCUMULATING ON GROUND.

&&

SMCGUIRE

Local storm report, Jul 21, 6:28 PM PDT, 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
628 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0628 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     FALLON                  39.48N 118.78W
07/21/2008                   CHURCHILL          NV   AMATEUR RADIO

            FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED JUST WEST OF FALLON.

&&

SMCGUIRE

Local storm report, Jul 21, 6:32 PM PDT, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
632 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0631 PM     HAIL             FALLON                  39.48N 118.78W
07/21/2008  E0.75 INCH       CHURCHILL          NV   NWS EMPLOYEE

            WINDS ESTIMATED 45 MPH IN DOWNTOWN FALLON.

&&

CS

Local storm report, Jul 21, 6:34 PM PDT, 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
634 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0634 PM     HAIL             1 SW FALLON             39.47N 118.79W
07/21/2008  M1.25 INCH       CHURCHILL          NV   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HAIL ACCUMULATING WITH HEAVY RAINFALL. LOCALIZED FLOODING
            REPORTED.

&&

SMCGUIRE

Local storm report, Jul 21, 6:53 PM PDT, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
653 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0653 PM     HEAVY RAIN       GERLACH                 40.65N 119.35W
07/21/2008  U0.00 INCH       WASHOE             NV   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HEAVY RAIN WITH LOCALIZED PONDING REPORTED IN GERLACH.

&&

SMCGUIRE

The office that day

Everything else NWS Reno, NV issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 21, 5:22 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Douglas, Lyon	38 min
Jul 21, 5:25 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Lyon	35 min
Jul 21, 5:53 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	REV	Lyon	2 hr
Jul 21, 6:06 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Churchill	39 min
Jul 21, 6:16 PM PDT	Tornado Warning	REV	Churchill	44 min
Jul 21, 6:32 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	REV	Churchill, Mineral	3 hr
Jul 21, 7:34 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Washoe	41 min
Jul 21, 7:41 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Churchill	37 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Nevada, 2008 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2008

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.