Alert archive / Nevada / Flash Flood Warnings in 2014

Flash Flood Warning 16, NWS Reno, NV

July 20, 2014Lyon County, Storey County, Nevada

NWS Reno, NV issued this flash flood warning at Jul 20, 2014, 4:17 PM PDT for Lyon County, Storey County, Nevada. It was in force for 3 hr. 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 20, 2014, 4:17 PM PDT (23:17 UTC)
Expired: Jul 20, 2014, 7:15 PM PDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Reno, NV
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Lyon County, NV, Storey County, NV

The radar

The Reno radar (KRGX), 55 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:21 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 flash flood 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 12:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 123 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: 1 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 2297 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 9 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 53 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 143 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.

605 
WGUS55 KREV 202317
FFWREV
NVC019-029-210215-
/O.NEW.KREV.FF.W.0016.140720T2317Z-140721T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
417 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EXTREME WEST CENTRAL LYON COUNTY IN WESTERN NEVADA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL STOREY COUNTY IN WESTERN NEVADA...

* UNTIL 715 PM PDT

* AT 412 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA. THIS STORM
  IS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OF 2 INCHES OR MORE IN 1 HOUR.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO JUNCTION US
  50 AND SIX MILE CANYON-FT CHURCHILL RD AND SIX MILE CANYON. THERE  
  HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF WATER OVER THE ROAD IN THE GOLD HILL AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. PEOPLE
IN FLOOD PRONE AND LOW LYING AREAS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS SWIFT FLOWING WATER BY FOOT OR AUTOMOBILE.

&&

LAT...LON 3927 11965 3934 11954 3932 11947 3923 11952
      3920 11964

$$

BOYD

2 follow-up statements

131 
WGUS75 KREV 210056
FFSREV

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
556 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

NVC019-029-210215-
/O.CON.KREV.FF.W.0016.000000T0000Z-140721T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
STOREY NV-LYON NV-
556 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM PDT FOR
EXTREME WEST CENTRAL LYON AND SOUTH CENTRAL STOREY COUNTIES...

AT 548 PM PDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A THUNDERSTORM 
PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING OVER THE WARNED AREA NEAR GOLD HILL.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO JUNCTION US
50 AND SIX MILE CANYON-FT CHURCHILL RD AND SIX MILE CANYON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. PEOPLE
IN FLOOD PRONE AND LOW LYING AREAS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. DO 
NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS SWIFT WATERS BY FOOT OR AUTOMOBILE. DEBRIS AND 
MUD FLOWS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE.

&&

LAT...LON 3927 11965 3934 11954 3932 11947 3923 11952
      3920 11964

$$

BOYD

604 
WGUS75 KREV 210202
FFSREV

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
702 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

NVC019-029-210211-
/O.CAN.KREV.FF.W.0016.000000T0000Z-140721T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
STOREY NV-LYON NV-
702 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR EXTREME WEST 
CENTRAL LYON AND SOUTH CENTRAL STOREY COUNTIES INCLUDING GOLD HILL 
AND DAYTON...

THE THREAT FOR CONTINUED FLASH FLOODING HAS DIMINISHED. REMEMBER THAT
MINOR FLOODING OR RUNOFF MAY CONTINUE IN LOW SPOTS FOR SEVERAL 
HOURS. BE CAREFUL DRIVING AT NIGHT. YOU MAY NOT SEE FLOOD WATERS OR 
ROADWAYS THAT HAVE WASHED OUT.

LAT...LON 3927 11965 3934 11954 3932 11947 3923 11952
      3920 11964

$$

BOYD

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Jul 20, 2:28 PM PDT, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 2:28 PM PDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
228 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

.SYNOPSIS...
UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING NORTH ACROSS THE REGION WILL BRING
ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. RAINFALL SHOULD
OCCUR IN MORE AREAS COMPARED TO THE PAST FEW DAYS. THE THREAT FOR
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES MONDAY AND TUESDAY AS LOW PRESSURE LIFTS
NORTH ACROSS CALIFORNIA. DRIER AND LOCALLY BREEZY CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED BY MID WEEK, FOLLOWED BY A WARMING TREND BY NEXT WEEKEND.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
WAVE CONTINUES TO LIFT NORTHWARD ACROSS THE REGION TODAY, WITH A
DEFORMATION ZONE ALONG AND NORTH OF I-80.  UNDER THE DEFORMATION
ZONE...CLOUD COVER HAS LIMITED THE CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT TO A FEW
LIGHT SHOWERS. TO THE SOUTH...HIGHER INSTABILITY DUE TO SURFACE
HEATING HAS PRODUCE A CLUSTER OF SLOW MOVING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. MAIN CONCERN IS ALPINE AND NORTHERN MONO COUNTIES
WHERE MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN AND MOIST SOILS MAY LEAD TO A FEW
MUD/ROCK SLIDES THIS AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP TODAY AND IT APPEARS THE
CLOUDS WITH DEFORMATION ZONE ARE ERODING. MAIN STORM THREATS ARE
GUSTY WINDS, HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN.

FOR TONIGHT, MONDAY AND TUESDAY, MAIN CONCERN SHIFTS TO THE JET
SEGMENT LIFTING NORTH ACROSS THE AREA. THIS WILL PROVIDE THE
POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DAY AND NIGHT UNTIL DRIER
AIR WORKS INTO THE AREA BY WEDNESDAY.  HOWEVER TODAY'S 12Z RUNS
DON'T HAVE AS MUCH INSTABILITY AS THE LAST TWO DAYS. IN ADDITION
THERE IS UNCERTAINTY IN THE MODELS IN ANY WAVES TRACKING ALONG OR
JUST NORTH OF THE JET AXIS. LATEST MODELS ONLY SHOW A WAVE PASSING
ACROSS NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON, WHICH WOULD
PLACE THE BEST THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL NORTH OF I-80. THOUGH
HEATING AND LINGERING MOISTURE MAY LEAD TO A SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING SOUTH OF I-80. WITH THE JET MOVING NORTH
STORM MOTIONS WILL INCREASE TO UP TO 20 MPH BY MONDAY AFTERNOON.
THIS WILL LEAD TO LESS RAINFALL REACHING THE GROUND AND A HIGHER
CHANCE FOR NEW FIRE STARTS FROM LIGHTNING STRIKES. GUSTY WINDS AND
HAIL ARE THE MAIN STORM THREATS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING
HOURS.  BRONG

.LONG TERM...

ANOTHER ROUND OF MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THE LONG-TERM FORECAST. DID
ADD A SLIGHT CHANCE OF A THUNDERSTORM STARTING SUNDAY FOR THE SIERRA
IN MONO COUNTY. OTHERWISE, THE FORECAST CONTINUES AS DESCRIBED IN
THE PREVIOUS PACKAGE.

DRIER SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL ELIMINATE THUNDERSTORM CHANCES FROM MID
WEEK INTO THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEKEND. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT
BECOMES ORIENTED FROM THE SOUTHWEST TO THE NORTHEAST AS LOW PRESSURE
MOVES INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.  THIS WILL DISRUPT THE MONSOONAL
MOISTURE FLUX AS IT DEFORMS THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN RESULTING IN
COOLER TEMPERATURES AND FASTER AFTERNOON WINDS. CURRENTLY WATCHING
THE POTENTIAL OF A JET STREAK FORMING OVER THE SIERRA. HOLDING OFF
ON RAISING WIND SPEEDS FURTHER FOR NOW, BUT WILL NEED TO REEVALUATE
WINDS AND POTENTIAL FOR CRITICAL FIRE CONDITIONS FOR THURSDAY.

TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO INCREASE TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEK AS THE
RIDGE REASSERTS ITSELF. HIGHS WILL APPROACH TRIPLE DIGITS FOR
WESTERN NEVADA VALLEYS BY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. MEANWHILE, THE
THERMAL TROUGH WILL BECOME MORE FAVORABLE FOR AFTERNOON BUILD-UPS ON
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. WIND THE BEST SURFACE CONVERGENCE OCCURRING ON
SUNDAY, HAVE ADDED A SLIGHT CHANCE OF CONVECTION ALONG THE SIERRA
AND LONG VALLEY CALDERA RIM. MAY NEED TO ADD SOME FOR SATURDAY IF
SURFACE TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO TREND WARMER.  BOYD

&&

.AVIATION...
ANOTHER DAY OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IS ON TAP FOR TODAY. COVERAGE
COULD ACTUALLY BE HIGHER THAN SATURDAY AND STORM MOTIONS BEGIN TO
INCREASE. MONDAY ALSO LOOKS LIKE A SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM DAY FOR
AREAS NORTH OF HIGHWAY 50...WITH LESSER COVERAGE SOUTH OF 50. FOR
BOTH TODAY AND MONDAY THE PRIMARY THREATS TO AVIATION WILL BE
TURBULENCE AND LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR IN THE VICINITY OF TSTMS ALONG
WITH GUSTY SFC WINDS TO NEAR 45 KTS. LARGE HAIL IN AND NEAR TSTM
CORES IS ALSO A THREAT ALONG WITH LIGHTNING. WILL NEED TO INCLUDE
VCTS FOR MOST TERMINALS TODAY AND APPROACH AND DEPARTURE ROUTES WILL
LIKELY BE AFFECTED BY TSTMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

THERE IS LESS CHANCE OF TSTMS TUESDAY...AND MAINLY NORTH OF HIGHWAY
50. BY WEDNESDAY THE CHANCE FOR TSTMS IS CLOSE TO ZERO...BUT THERE
SHOULD BE STRONGER SFC WINDS BY THEN AND THAT COULD PRODUCE GUSTY
CROSS WINDS EAST OF THE SIERRA IN THE AFTERNOON. 20/BOYD

&&

.REV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NV...NONE.
CA...NONE.
&&

FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO (ALL LOWER CASE)

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 3:18 PM PDT, 59 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
318 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

NVZ004-202315-
WESTERN NEVADA BASIN AND RANGE INCLUDING PYRAMID LAKE-
318 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM AND BLOWING DUST TO IMPACT INTERSTATE 80...

AT 314 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF FALLON...AND MOVING
NORTH AT 15 MPH.

FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN WITH AMOUNTS NEAR ONE INCH PER
HOUR...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH...WITH AREAS OF BLOWING
DUST...WILL OCCUR WITH THIS STORM.

* LOCATIONS AFFECTED THROUGH 415 PM PDT INCLUDE...JUNCTION I 80 AND
  US 95 (EXIT 83)...TRINITY JUNCTION...LOVELOCK...LOVELOCK DERBY
  FIELD AIRPORT AND BATTLEGROUND POINT.

* THIS STORM WILL AFFECT INTERSTATE 80 IN NEVADA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS
  74 AND 107.

THIS STORM IS PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL... LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS.
WATCH FOR AREAS OF BLOWING DUST AND REDUCED VISIBILITY ALONG HIGHWAY
95 AND INTERSTATE 80.

&&

LAT...LON 3998 11892 4027 11841 3966 11847 3958 11872
TIME...MOT...LOC 2216Z 174DEG 4KT 3977 11863

BOYD

Local storm report, Jul 20, 3:37 PM PDT, 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
337 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

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

0316 PM     HAIL             RENO                    39.54N 119.82W
07/20/2014  M0.25 INCH       WASHOE             NV   NWS EMPLOYEE

            LARGE PEA-SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN RENO.

&&

WEISHAHN

Local storm report, Jul 20, 3:52 PM PDT, 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
352 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

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

0350 PM     FLASH FLOOD      GLENBROOK               39.09N 119.94W
07/20/2014                   DOUGLAS            NV   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            TAHOE DOUGLAS FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED FLASH FLOODING
            ALONG AND NEAR LOGAN CREEK.

0352 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 E GARDNERVILLE        38.94N 119.65W
07/20/2014                   DOUGLAS            NV   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTED FLASH FLOODING. WIND
            MILL ROAD IS WASHED OUT AND CALLE DE CENO IS IMPASSABLE.
            SPOTTER ESTIMATED 1.20 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN 30-40
            MINUTES.

&&

MCGUIRE

Local storm report, Jul 20, 3:59 PM PDT, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
359 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

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

0359 PM     FLASH FLOOD      RENO                    39.54N 119.82W
07/20/2014                   WASHOE             NV   PUBLIC

            FLASH FLOODING AT MEADOW WOOD MALL. CARS STALLING IN
            WATER.

&&

WEISHAHN

Local storm report, Jul 20, 4:01 PM PDT, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
401 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

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

0352 PM     HEAVY RAIN       CARSON CITY             39.17N 119.76W
07/20/2014  M1.10 INCH       CARSON CITY        NV   CO-OP OBSERVER

            CASON CITY COOPERATIVE OBSERVING STATION REPORTED 1.10
            INCHES OF RAINFALL.

0400 PM     DUST STORM       LOVELOCK                40.18N 118.48W
07/20/2014                   PERSHING           NV   ASOS

            VISIBILITY OF 1/2 MILE AND WIND GUST TO 61 MPH MEASURED
            AT DERBY FIELD IN LOVELOCK.

&&

BRONG

Local storm report, Jul 20, 4:08 PM PDT, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
408 PM PDT SUN JUL 20 2014

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

0407 PM     DUST STORM       LOVELOCK                40.18N 118.48W
07/20/2014                   PERSHING           NV   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            PERSHING COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE HAS CONFIRMED A LARGE AND
            VERY DANGEROUS DUST STORM IS OCCURING.

&&

MCGUIRE

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 19, 6:50 PM PDT	Special Weather Statement	REV	Churchill	55 min
Jul 20, 1:13 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Douglas, Lyon	47 min
Jul 20, 1:52 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Douglas	38 min
Jul 20, 2:10 PM PDT	Special Weather Statement	REV		65 min
Jul 20, 2:22 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	REV	Douglas	6 hr
Jul 20, 2:36 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	REV	Douglas	6 hr
Jul 20, 2:49 PM PDT	Special Weather Statement	REV	Churchill	26 min
Jul 20, 3:00 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	REV	Lyon, Storey	3 hr
Jul 20, 3:18 PM PDT	Special Weather Statement	REV	Churchill	57 min
Jul 20, 3:23 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Washoe	37 min
Jul 20, 3:28 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Storey, Washoe	47 min
Jul 20, 3:37 PM PDT	Dust Storm Warning	REV	Churchill, Lyon, Pershing, Washoe	4 hr
Jul 20, 3:37 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	REV	Storey, Washoe	3 hr
Jul 20, 4:30 PM PDT	Special Weather Statement	REV		60 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Nevada, 2014 Every flash flood warning in 2014

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.