A powerful winter storm moved through the Sierra Nevada and western Nevada from January 4th through the 6th. Up to 10 feet of snow fell in the higher elevations of the Sierra with 1 to 2 feet in western Nevada.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 moved through the Sierra Nevada and western Nevada from January 4th through the 6th. Up to 10 feet of snow fell in the higher elevations of the Sierra with 1 to 2 feet in western Nevada.
The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Jan 4, 2:40 AM PST, 3 hours 20 minutes earlier.
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</html>SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV 417 AM PST FRI JAN 4 2008 CAZ070>073-NVZ001>005-041430- SURPRISE VALLEY CALIFORNIA-LASSEN-EASTERN PLUMAS- EASTERN SIERRA COUNTIES-GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA-MONO- MINERAL AND SOUTHERN LYON COUNTIES-GREATER RENO-CARSON CITY- MINDEN AREA-WESTERN NEVADA BASIN AND RANGE INCLUDING PYRAMID LAKE- NORTHERN WASHOE COUNTY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CEDARVILLE...EAGLEVILLE... FORT BIDWELL...PORTOLA...SUSANVILLE...WESTWOOD...SIERRAVILLE... SOUTH LAKE TAHOE...TAHOE CITY...TRUCKEE...MARKLEEVILLE... BRIDGEPORT...COLEVILLE...LEE VINING...MAMMOTH LAKES...HAWTHORNE... YERINGTON...SMITH VALLEY...MINA...SCHURZ...GLENBROOK... INCLINE VILLAGE...SPARKS...VERDI...GARDNERVILLE...FERNLEY... FALLON...LOVELOCK...SILVER SPRINGS...NIXON...IMLAY...EMPIRE... GERLACH 417 AM PST FRI JAN 4 2008 MAJOR WINTER STORM MOVING INTO THE SIERRA THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF IMPACTS FROM THIS STORM ...CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS... * BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 4 AM SATURDAY FOR THE SIERRA NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80. * BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 10 AM SATURDAY FOR THE SIERRA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80 INCLUDING THE LAKE TAHOE BASIN AND MONO COUNTY. * HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL NOON TODAY FOR NORTHERN WASHOE COUNTY AND THE SURPRISE VALLEY. * HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 3 PM TODAY FOR THE RENO-CARSON CITY- MINDEN AREA. * HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM TODAY FOR LYON...MINERAL... CHURCHILL AND PERSHING COUNTIES. * WINTER STORM WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 4 AM SATURDAY FOR NORTHERN WASHOE COUNTY AND THE SURPRISE VALLEY. * WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 3 PM TODAY T0 10 AM SATURDAY FOR THE RENO-CARSON CITY AREA SOUTH TO MINDEN AND GARDNERVILLE. * WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 6 PM TODAY TO 10 AM SATURDAY FOR WESTERN NEVADA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80 AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 95. ...STORM INFORMATION... A MAJOR WINTER STORM IS MOVING INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND WILL IMPACT THE SIERRA AND WESTERN NEVADA TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. COLD AIR FROM A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IN THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL COMBINE WITH A PLUME OF SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE TO PRODUCE VERY LARGE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS BETWEEN THIS MORNING AND SATURDAY MORNING IN THE SIERRA. SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ARE LIKELY FOR THE VALLEY FLOORS OF NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND WESTERN NEVADA BETWEEN THIS AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY MORNING...THIS INCLUDES THE RENO-CARSON CITY AREA. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE STRONG AND DAMAGING WINDS GUSTS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. THESE WINDS ARE FORECAST TO COMBINE WITH HEAVY SNOW TO PRODUCE DANGEROUS BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN THE SIERRA. STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE WORKING WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE...SHOULD IT BECOME NECESSARY. CITIZENS CAN ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT BY STAYING INFORMED ON THE LATEST FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT WEATHER.GOV/RENO. ...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS... FOR THE SIERRA...FROM THIS MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING * 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE 7000 FEET WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS ALONG THE SIERRA CREST. * 1 TO 3 FEET BETWEEN 5000 AND 7000 FEET INCLUDING THE LAKE TAHOE BASIN. FOR WESTERN NEVADA AND NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA...FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING * 4 TO 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE WITH AMOUNTS UP TO 16 INCHES IN THE FOOTHILLS. ...WINDS... STRONG AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ARE FORECAST. FOR THE SIERRA RIDGES...WINDS OF 60 TO 80 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 120 MPH WILL INCREASE TO 80 TO 110 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 150 MPH AFTER NOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING. FOR THE EASTERN SIERRA SLOPES AND WESTERN NEVADA...WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH WILL INCREASE TO 30 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 65 MPH EARLY THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. GUSTS IN WINDPRONE AREAS ALONG HIGHWAYS 95 AND 395 MAY EXCEED 80 MPH TODAY. WINDS WILL ALSO CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING DUST WHICH MAY LOWER VISIBILITIES BELOW 1 MILE AT TIMES. WINDS OF THIS MAGNITUDE MAY DOWN TREES....UTILITY POLES...AND DAMAGE FENCES AND ROOFS. HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES MAY OVER TURN IF ATTEMPTING TO TRAVEL IN AREAS OF STRONG CROSS WINDS. ...TRAVEL IMPACTS FOR THE SIERRA... * DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL IN THE SIERRA TODAY AND SATURDAY. * ATTEMPTING TO TRAVEL IN THE SIERRA WILL PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK MOST SIERRA ROADS WILL BE CLOSED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME DURING THIS STORM DUE TO THE DANGEROUS BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL GENERATE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS WITH ZERO VISIBILITY WHICH WILL MAKE TRAVEL IMPOSSIBLE. SNOWFALL RATES OF 2 TO 6 INCHES PER HOUR WILL OCCUR FROM THIS MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. DURING THE STRONGEST PORTION OF THE STORM THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...SNOWFALL RATES OVER THE MOUNTAIN PASSES WILL EXCEED 6 INCHES PER HOUR. THESE VERY HIGH SNOWFALL RATES WILL MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ROAD CREWS AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL TO KEEP ROADS PASSABLE AND TO ASSIST STRANDED VEHICLES. IF YOU DO ATTEMPT TRAVEL IN THE SIERRA YOUR CHANCES OF BEING STRANDED FOR MORE THAN A FEW HOURS IS VERY HIGH. DELAY ALL TRAVEL PLANS IN THE SIERRA UNTIL AFTER THE STORM PASSES AND ROAD CONDITIONS IMPROVE LATE THIS WEEKEND OR EARLY NEXT WEEK. ALTERNATE ROUTES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE...AS DANGEROUS BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL AFFECT ALL ROADS CROSSING THE SIERRA FROM LASSEN COUNTY SOUTHWARD TO MONO COUNTY. ...TRAVEL IMPACTS FOR AREAS BELOW 5000 FEET... * HIGHWAY 395 CURRENTLY HAS RESTRICTIONS TO CAMPERS...TRAILERS AND PERMIT LOADS. TRAVEL CONDITIONS ACROSS WESTERN NEVADA AND EASTERN CALIFORNIA WILL BE IMPACTED BY STRONG WINDS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. RAIN WILL REACH THE LOWER VALLEYS THIS MORNING AND WILL CHANGE TO SNOW THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING. ...RIVERS AND STREAMS... AS THE STORM MOVES INTO THE AREA THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY FOR A FEW HOURS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN BELOW 6500 FEET. THIS MAY CAUSE RISES ON SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS WITH SOME RUNOFF ON RECENTLY BURNED SLOPES SUCH AS THE HAWKEN FIRE SITE NEAR RENO AND THE LARSON FIRE NEAR COLEVILLE. NO WIDESPREAD FLOODING IS FORECAST WITH THIS STORM. HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Storm-total snowfall amounts:
Portola, 22 inches (at 4850 feet);|Susanville, 8 inches (at 4200 feet).
Storm-total snowfall amounts:
Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort, 90 inches;|Alpine Meadows Ski Resort, 68 inches (at 8637 feet), and 46 inches at 6835 feet;|Northstar-at-Tahoe Ski Resort, 65 inches (at 8300 feet), and 53 inches at 6900 feet;|Squaw Valley Ski Resort, 61 inches (at 8200 feet), and 38 inches at 6200 feet;|Homewood ski area, 55 inches at the summit, and 35 inches at the base;|5 miles WSW of Prosser Creek Reservoir, 51 inches (at 6600 feet);|Tahoma, 48 inches (at 6350 feet);|Lake Tahoe Coast Guard Station in Tahoe City, 36 inches (at 6250 feet);|South Lake Tahoe (near the intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and California Highway 89), 36 inches;|4 miles west of Prosser Creek Reservoir near Tahoe-Donner, 36 inches (at 6500 feet);|Boca Reservoir, 31 inches (at 5575 feet);|Truckee Tahoe Airport, 28 inches (at 5900 feet).
Storm-total snowfall amounts:
Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort, 84 inches;|June Lake ski area, 62 inches;|1 mile WNW of Mammoth Lakes, 60 inches;|Mammoth Lakes, 47 inches (at 7800 feet);|Lee Vining, 15 inches (at 6800 feet).
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2008
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 69238, 69271, 69230.