A powerful winter storm crippled the Reno-Carson City-Minden area over a two and a half day period. The main portion of the storm dumped heavy snow over the region from late Friday night (20th) into early Sunday morning (22nd).
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS REV wrote it up.
A powerful winter storm crippled the Reno-Carson City-Minden area over a two and a half day period. The main portion of the storm dumped heavy snow over the region from late Friday night (20th) into early Sunday morning (22nd). The cold moist flow continued into early Monday morning, but snowfall amounts were not as significant as on Saturday into early Sunday (in most areas). Some noteworthy snowfall amounts over the 12-24 hour period from late Friday night into Saturday night were as follows: 6-9 inches in the lower valleys of the Greater Reno area with 10-18 inches in the western foothills, and 12-24 inches in Carson City, Washoe Valley (north of Carson City), and the Virginia City area. Storm totals ending early Monday morning (23rd) were impressive. The lower valleys of the Greater Reno area received from 9-12 inches with over 2 feet in the western foothills. The Carson City area had 1-2 feet of snow. Finally, the Virginia City area received from 4-5 feet of snow, making this winter storm the biggest in the last decade.The powerful storm paralyzed holiday travelers. Several roads were closed while others were nearly impassable. Numerous accidents were reported. Approximately 16,000 homes were without power during the climax of the storm.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, December 1996
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5580653.