Alert archive / California / Winter Storm Warnings in 2012

Winter Storm Warning 7, NWS Reno, NV

December 2, 20125 counties in California; Douglas County, Washoe County, Nevada

NWS Reno, NV issued this winter storm warning at Dec 2, 2012, 9:00 AM PST for 5 counties in California; Douglas County, Washoe County, Nevada. It was in force for 10 hr. 4 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Dec 2, 2012, 9:00 AM PST (17:00 UTC)
Expired
Dec 2, 2012, 7:00 PM PST
In force
10 hr
Issued by
NWS Reno, NV

Counties Alpine County, CA, El Dorado County, CA, Mono County, CA, Nevada County, CA, Placer County, CA, Douglas County, NV, Washoe County, NV

The radar

The Reno radar (KRGX), 92 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:01 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Dec 2, 11:19 AM PSTSNOW 2Kirkwood, CAAT 7800 FEET RAIN HAS CHANGED TO SNOW WITH 1-2 INCHES SO FAR.
Dec 2, 3:15 PM PSTHEAVY SNOW 16Kirkwood Ski Area, CASTORM TOTAL SINCE SATURDAY NIGHT AT 9800 FEET. 6 INCHES NEW SNOW AT 7800 FEET.
Dec 2, 3:44 PM PSTHEAVY SNOW 20Mount Rose Ski Area, NVSTORM TOTAL 14-20 INCHES SINCE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. ELEVATION 8260 FT.
Dec 2, 5:04 PM PSTSNOW 112 Wnw Mammoth Lakes, CAESTIMATED NEW SNOW SINCE 10 AM AT MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN SESAME SNOW STUDY SITE. ELEVATION 9014 FT.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Reno, NV (KREV), launched 12:00Z, 5.0 hours before the alert went out and 166 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Reno, NV at 12:00Z on 2012-12-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Reno, NV at 12:00Z on 2012-12-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 121 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1424 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
121 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
216 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.

377 
WWUS45 KREV 021700
WSWREV

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
900 AM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

...HEAVY SNOW TO FALL BEHIND COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON...

.A STRONG COLD FRONT IS MOVING THROUGH THE SIERRA WITH SNOW LEVELS
RAPIDLY FALLING BEHIND THE FRONT. BRIEF HEAVY SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED
IN THE SIERRA INTO THIS AFTERNOON BEHIND THE FRONT. MOTORISTS
SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR BRIEF WHITEOUT CONDITIONS OVER THE PASSES
DUE TO WIND AND SNOW.


CAZ072-NVZ002-030000-
/O.NEW.KREV.WS.W.0007.121202T1700Z-121203T0000Z/
GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SOUTH LAKE TAHOE...TRUCKEE...
INCLINE VILLAGE
900 AM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM
PST THIS AFTERNOON.

* TIMING: A COLD FRONT WILL DROP SNOW LEVELS BELOW 7000 FEET THIS
  MORNING WITH PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW INTO THE AFTERNOON.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 10 TO 16 INCHES ABOVE 7000 FEET WITH 4 TO 8
  INCHES AT LAKE LEVEL. ABOVE 8000 FEET...2 FEET OR MORE OF SNOW
  IS EXPECTED.

* SNOW LEVELS: NEAR 8000 FEET THIS MORNING...FALLING BELOW 7000
  FEET BY NOON. SNOW LEVEL WILL REACH LAKE LEVEL BY MID-AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS: HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE PERIODS OF
  WHITEOUT CONDITIONS OVER THE HIGHER PASSES OF THE TAHOE BASIN.
  MOTORISTS SHOULD EXPECT HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS AT TIMES
  AROUND THE TAHOE BASIN INTO THE AFTERNOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

CONDITIONS CAN DETERIORATE RAPIDLY DURING WINTER STORMS...SLOW
DOWN AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME WHEN TRAVELING.  CARRY TIRE CHAINS...
FOOD...WATER...BLANKETS AND A FLASHLIGHT IN YOUR CAR IN CASE OF
AN EMERGENCY.  CHECK OUR WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/RENO OR LISTEN TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION.

&&

$$

CAZ073-030100-
/O.NEW.KREV.WS.W.0007.121202T1700Z-121203T0300Z/
MONO-
900 AM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING
ABOVE 8000 FEET...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING ABOVE 8000 FEET FOR HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS...WHICH IS
IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING.

* TIMING: A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL DROP SNOW LEVELS BELOW 8000
  FEET BY NOON WITH PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. 

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 10 TO 18 INCHES ABOVE 8000 FEET NEAR AND
  WEST OF HIGHWAY 395. LIGHTER ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES DOWN
  TO 7000 FEET.

* WINDS: SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH. RIDGE GUSTS
  TO 130 MPH OVER THE SIERRA CREST.

* SNOW LEVELS: NEAR 9000 FEET FALLING BELOW 8000 FEET BY NOON.
  SNOW LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO FALL TO NEAR 6500 FEET BY EARLY
  EVENING.

* IMPACTS: HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE PERIODS OF
  WHITEOUT CONDITIONS IN THE HIGH ELEVATIONS OF MONO COUNTY.
  MOTORISTS SHOULD EXPECT HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS OVER THE
  HIGHER PASSES OF HIGHWAY 395 AS WELL AS NEAR THE TOWN OF MAMMOTH
  LAKES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

CONDITIONS CAN DETERIORATE RAPIDLY DURING WINTER STORMS...SLOW
DOWN AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME WHEN TRAVELING.  CARRY TIRE CHAINS...
FOOD...WATER...BLANKETS AND A FLASHLIGHT IN YOUR CAR IN CASE OF
AN EMERGENCY.  CHECK OUR WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/RENO OR LISTEN TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION.

&&

$$


HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO
2 follow-up statements
997 
WWUS45 KREV 022133
WSWREV

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
133 PM PST SUN DEC 2 2012


CAZ072-NVZ002-022245-
/O.CAN.KREV.WS.W.0007.000000T0000Z-121203T0000Z/
GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SOUTH LAKE TAHOE...TRUCKEE...
INCLINE VILLAGE
133 PM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS CANCELLED THE WINTER
STORM WARNING. 

HEAVY SNOW HAS ENDED ACROSS THE TAHOE BASIN WITH ONLY SCATTERED
SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED INTO THE EVENING. THEREFORE THE WINTER STORM
WARNING IS CANCELED.

$$

CAZ073-030300-
/O.CON.KREV.WS.W.0007.000000T0000Z-121203T0300Z/
MONO-
133 PM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS
EVENING ABOVE 8000 FEET...

A WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 8000 FEET REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
7 PM PST THIS EVENING. 

* TIMING: A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL DROP SNOW LEVELS TO 700 FEET
  THIS AFTERNOON WITH SNOW CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 10 TO 18 INCHES ABOVE 8000 FEET NEAR AND 
  WEST OF HIGHWAY 395. LIGHTER ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES 
  DOWN TO 7000 FEET. 

* WINDS: SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH. RIDGE 
  GUSTS TO 130 MPH OVER THE SIERRA CREST. 

* SNOW LEVELS: FALLING TO NEAR 7000 FEET THIS AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS: HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE PERIODS OF 
  WHITEOUT CONDITIONS IN THE HIGH ELEVATIONS OF MONO COUNTY. 
  MOTORISTS SHOULD EXPECT HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS OVER 
  THE HIGHER PASSES OF HIGHWAY 395 AS WELL AS NEAR THE TOWN OF 
  MAMMOTH LAKES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

CONDITIONS CAN DETERIORATE RAPIDLY DURING WINTER STORMS...SLOW
DOWN AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME WHEN TRAVELING.  CARRY TIRE CHAINS...
FOOD...WATER...BLANKETS AND A FLASHLIGHT IN YOUR CAR IN CASE OF
AN EMERGENCY.  CHECK OUR WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/RENO OR LISTEN TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION.

&&

$$


HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO
989 
WWUS45 KREV 030240
WSWREV

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
640 PM PST SUN DEC 2 2012


CAZ073-030345-
/O.EXP.KREV.WS.W.0007.000000T0000Z-121203T0300Z/
MONO-
640 PM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM PST THIS EVENING
ABOVE 8000 FEET...

THE WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 8000 FEET WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM PST
THIS EVENING. 

SNOW HAS ENDED ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING AND THEREFORE THE
WINTER STORM WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE ON TIME. 

$$


HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 2, 5:36 AM PSTAreal Flood WarningREVEl Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra7 hr
Dec 2, 8:19 AM PSTAreal Flood WarningREVDouglas, Storey, Washoe6 hr

Nearby

Winter Storm Warnings in California, 2012Winter Storm Warnings in Nevada, 2012Every winter storm warning in 2012

Sources

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