Alert archive / California / Flash Flood Watches in 2015

Flash Flood Watch 4, NWS Reno, NV

July 6, 20155 counties in Nevada; 8 counties in California

NWS Reno, NV issued this flash flood watch at Jul 6, 2015, 9:32 PM PDT for 5 counties in Nevada; 8 counties in California. It took effect at Jul 7, 2015, 12:00 PM PDT. It was in force for 7 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 6, 2015, 9:32 PM PDT (04:32 UTC)
In effect from
Jul 7, 2015, 12:00 PM PDT
Expired
Jul 7, 2015, 6:45 PM PDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Reno, NV
Flood severity
None

Counties Alpine County, CA, El Dorado County, CA, Lassen County, CA, Mono County, CA, Nevada County, CA, Placer County, CA, Plumas County, CA, Sierra County, CA, Douglas County, NV, Lyon County, NV, Mineral County, NV, Storey County, NV, Washoe County, NV

The radar

The Reno radar (KRGX), 67 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:32 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Reno, NV (KREV), launched 00:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 152 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 00:00Z on 2015-07-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 177 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Reno, NV at 00:00Z on 2015-07-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 11 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
177 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-69 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2526 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
58 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood watch 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 watch went out at Jul 6, 2:11 PM PDT, 7 hours 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 6, 2:11 PM PDT, 7 hours 21 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
211 PM PDT MON JUL 6 2015

.SYNOPSIS...

LOW PRESSURE NEAR THE CALIFORNIA COAST WILL SLOWLY MOVE ONSHORE
AND BRING THE THREAT FOR THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE WEEK,
ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE HIGHEST
PROBABILITY OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR TODAY AND TOMORROW,
BUT LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE ANY DAY THIS WEEK.

&&

.SHORT TERM...

ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS REMAIN IN PLACE TODAY FOR STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FLASH
FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN SIERRA AND WESTERN
NV FROM RENO-SPARKS SOUTH TO LYON-MINERAL COUNTIES WHERE THE
COVERAGE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO BE GREATEST. LOCATIONS
IN NORTHEAST CA AND WESTERN NV THAT ARE NORTH AND EAST OF THIS
AREA COULD ALSO SEE ISOLATED STORMS PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN,
AND MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO
CREATE HAIL UP TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER AND STRONG OUTFLOW WINDS
50-60 MPH.

THE MORNING ATMOSPHERIC SOUNDING AT THE RENO FORECAST OFFICE
SHOWED STEEP MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES BUT WITH A CAP AROUND 600 MB.
THIS CAP IS EXPECTED TO ERODE BY MID-AFTERNOON AS TEMPERATURES
HEAT UP ALLOWING CONVECTION TO BECOME DEEPER AND STRONGER. THOUGH
NOT STRONG, THERE IS ALSO MODERATE 0-6K SHEAR THIS AFTERNOON
WHICH INCREASES THE POTENTIAL FOR LONGER-LASTING STRONG UPDRAFTS
WITHIN ANY STORMS.

THE ACTIVE THUNDERSTORM PATTERN WILL CONTINUE ALL WEEK AS A LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM SLOWLY MOVES EAST OVER CA/NV. CURRENT SATELLITE
ESTIMATES SHOW ABUNDANT MOISTURE OFFSHORE WHICH WILL PROVIDE A
MOIST SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY. BY TUESDAY, THE LOW
WILL HAVE MOVED FAR ENOUGH ONSHORE TO INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR
UPPER IMPULSES TO INFLUENCE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. CURRENT MODELS
SHOW POTENTIAL FOR AN IMPULSE TO ARRIVE EARLY TUESDAY MORNING WITH
A STRONGER UPPER WAVE FOR AFTERNOON. TIMING THESE IMPULSES IS
DIFFICULT BUT ANOTHER FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE WARRANTED FOR
TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE ONLY LIMITING FACTOR COULD BE IF THE
MORNING IMPULSE CREATES ENOUGH CLOUD COVER TO LIMIT INSTABILITY
DURING THE AFTERNOON.

FOR WEDNESDAY, A BROAD AREA OF SLOW RISING MOTION IN THE
NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE UPPER-LOW SHOULD LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN
CLOUD COVER AND RAIN SHOWERS BUT COULD LEAD TO A DECREASE IN THE
NUMBER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN. HOWEVER,
MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG
INSTABILITY, AND ANY CLOUD BREAKS WOULD AGAIN PROVIDE A THREAT FOR
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. JCM

.LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY...

AN UPPER LOW OFF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST WILL MOVE INLAND
ACROSS NEVADA BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THIS WILL PROVIDE MUCH COOLER
TEMPERATURES WITH A BETTER POTENTIAL TO SEE WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION
ACROSS THE REGION. OVERALL LOOKING FOR AMPLE MOISTURE/CLOUD COVER TO
SPREAD INLAND WITH THE LOW WHICH MAY INHIBIT INSTABILITY AND LEAD TO
MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWER ACTIVITY WITH ISOLATED STORM COVERAGE. THE
INCREASED CLOUDS COULD ALSO KEEP HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 70S
TO LOWER 80S ACROSS WESTERN NEVADA WITH UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S
ACROSS SIERRA VALLEYS. MAIN CHANGES TO THE FORECAST FOR THURSDAY
WERE TO INCREASE PRECIP CHANCES, INCREASE CLOUD COVER, AND ALSO TO
LOWER HIGH TEMPERATURES.

AN UPPER LOW WILL THEN DEVELOP JUST OFF THE WEST COAST BY FRIDAY
WITH ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS ACROSS THE SIERRA AND
INTO FAR NORTHWESTERN NEVADA. THE LOW WILL MAINTAIN CHANCES FOR
SHOWERS AND STORMS ON SATURDAY BUT CHANCES WILL SLIP MAINLY ACROSS
THE NORTHERN FORECAST AREA ROUGHLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80. BY
SUNDAY, MODEL GUIDANCE INTRODUCES A DRY SOUTHWEST FLOW WHICH WILL
TRANSITION US INTO A DRIER PATTERN INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. HIGH
TEMPERATURES LOOK TO RETURN TO NEAR SEASONABLE LEVELS WITH UPPER 80S
ACROSS WESTERN NEVADA AND MID TO UPPER 70S ACROSS THE SIERRA. FUENTES

&&

.AVIATION...

THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE SIERRA AND NORTHEAST CA WILL BECOME
STRONGER AND SPREAD EASTWARD THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ERRATIC
OUTFLOW WINDS UP TO 50 KTS AND LOW VSBY DUE TO HEAVY RAIN ARE THE
MAIN AVIATION THREATS FROM THESE STORMS. MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION IS
ALSO LIKELY ESPECIALLY NEAR THE CREST OF THE SIERRA. STORMS SHOULD
BECOME LESS INTENSE AFTER 0900 PDT BUT SHOWERS MAY PERSIST
OVERNIGHT.

EXPECT SIMILAR CONDITIONS TOMORROW (TUESDAY), EXCEPT THUNDERSTORMS
MAY START EARLIER THAN TODAY, ESPECIALLY OVER THE SIERRA WHERE
STORMS MAY INITIATE BY MID-MORNING. JCM

&&

.REV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NV...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING NVZ001>003.

CA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING CAZ072-073.

&&

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

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 6, 5:56 PM PDT, 3 hours 36 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
556 PM PDT MON JUL 06 2015

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

0545 PM     HAIL             1 E SOUTH LAKE TAHOE    38.94N 119.96W
07/06/2015  M0.25 INCH       EL DORADO          CA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTED PEA SIZED HAIL AND VERY
            HEAVY RAINFALL.

&&

MCGUIRE
Local storm report, Jul 6, 6:17 PM PDT, 3 hours 15 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 6, 6:23 PM PDT, 3 hours 9 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 6, 6:33 PM PDT, 2 hours 59 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 6, 6:58 PM PDT, 2 hours 34 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 6, 8:58 PM PDT, 34 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 6, 5:16 PM PDTFlash Flood WarningREVChurchill, Lyon3 hr
Jul 6, 5:47 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREV43 min
Jul 6, 6:12 PM PDTFlash Flood WarningREVWashoe3 hr
Jul 7, 12:14 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVDouglas46 min
Jul 7, 12:52 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVWashoe38 min
Jul 7, 1:03 PM PDTFlash Flood WarningREVDouglas, Lyon3 hr
Jul 7, 1:03 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREV87 min
Jul 7, 1:30 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREV45 min
Jul 7, 1:43 PM PDTFlash Flood WarningREVDouglas, Lyon, Storey, Washoe3 hr
Jul 7, 1:59 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVStorey31 min
Jul 7, 2:19 PM PDTFlash Flood WarningREVMineral3 hr
Jul 7, 2:23 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVLyon22 min
Jul 7, 2:24 PM PDTFlash Flood WarningREVStorey, Washoe3 hr
Jul 7, 2:49 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningREVWashoe41 min
Jul 7, 2:57 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREV48 min
Jul 7, 3:09 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVLyon36 min
Jul 7, 3:48 PM PDTFlash Flood WarningREVChurchill3 hr
Jul 7, 4:04 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVChurchill41 min
Jul 6, 5:19 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVLassen56 min
Jul 6, 6:58 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVMono62 min
Jul 6, 8:58 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVLassen62 min
Jul 7, 10:55 AM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVAlpine, Mono35 min
Jul 7, 11:40 AM PDTFlash Flood WarningREVAlpine, Mono3 hr
Jul 7, 12:35 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVMono25 min
Jul 7, 1:24 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVMono36 min
Jul 7, 1:39 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVPlumas51 min
Jul 7, 2:10 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningREVNevada, Sierra35 min
Jul 7, 2:20 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVSierra40 min
Jul 7, 2:39 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVMono36 min
Jul 7, 2:56 PM PDTFlash Flood WarningREVAlpine, Mono3 hr
Jul 7, 3:17 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVMono28 min
Jul 7, 3:20 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVPlumas40 min
Jul 7, 3:47 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVLassen43 min
Jul 7, 4:12 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVMono48 min
Jul 7, 4:41 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementREVMono34 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Watches in California, 2015Flash Flood Watches in Nevada, 2015Every flash flood watch in 2015

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.