Cold in Nevada, January 13 to 15, 1997

Name: Cold in Nevada, January 13 to 15, 1997
Start: 1997-01-13T00:00
End: 1997-01-15T00:00
Location: Nevada

January 13 to 15, 1997 · NWS REV · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

An arctic airmass settled in over the eastern Sierra and western Nevada during a 48 hour period. High temperatures across western Nevada on Monday (1/13) peaked only in the teens.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $50,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS REV wrote it up.

An arctic airmass settled in over the eastern Sierra and western Nevada during a 48 hour period. High temperatures across western Nevada on Monday (1/13) peaked only in the teens. In fact, the Reno Airport recorded a high of 17 degrees for the date. This broke the low maximum for the date (previous record 24 degrees in 1917). Temperatures across the eastern Sierra and western Nevada dropped below zero overnight (1/14), causing pipes to freeze.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Mineral/Southern Lyon

When: January 13, 12:00 AM PST to January 15, 12:00 AM PST
Where: Mineral/Southern Lyon forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 38.780, -118.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Greater Lake Tahoe Area

When: January 13, 12:00 AM PST to January 15, 12:00 AM PST
Where: Greater Lake Tahoe Area forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.789, -119.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Greater Reno/Carson City/Minden Area

When: January 13, 12:00 AM PST to January 15, 12:00 AM PST
Where: Greater Reno/Carson City/Minden Area forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.511, -119.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Western Nevada Basin and Range

When: January 13, 12:00 AM PST to January 15, 12:00 AM PST
Where: Western Nevada Basin and Range forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.927, -118.898 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Northern Washoe

When: January 13, 12:00 AM PST to January 15, 12:00 AM PST
Where: Northern Washoe forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.665, -119.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill: Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Nevada in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Nevada, January 1997

Sources

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: 5589940, 5589941, 5589942, 5589943, 5589944.