A strong winter storm brought snow and strong gusty winds to northern and central Nevada. Many locations picked up 3 to 6 inches of snow with a few locations receiving 8 to 12 inches of snow.
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.
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 LKN wrote it up.
A strong winter storm brought snow and strong gusty winds to northern and central Nevada. Many locations picked up 3 to 6 inches of snow with a few locations receiving 8 to 12 inches of snow. In addition strong gusty winds caused blowing and drifting snow with near zero visibility at times.
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 Elko, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 24, 4:53 AM PST, 1 hour 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV 453 AM PST WED DEC 24 2008 .SYNOPSIS...WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY TODAY AS A STRONG WINTER STORM APPROACHES. SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA TODAY THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY. MODERATE SNOW ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE ACROSS CENTRAL NEVADA ON CHRISTMAS AS A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH. AFTER THIS SYSTEM PASSES...UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL CONTINUE ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY. && .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY. RAPID CLEARING LED TO EXCELLENT RADIATION EARLY LAST EVENING AND TEMPERATURES IN SOME LOCATIONS FELL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS. CURRENT IR IMAGERY NOW REVEALS SIGNIFICANT HIGH-CLOUD FIELD MOVING INTO NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEVADA RIDING THE CREST OF A WEAKENING VERY PROGRESSIVE SHORTWAVE RIDGE. SHORT TERM MODELS ARE IN VERY GOOD AGREEMENT THIS MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY...AND NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN MODEL RUNS 24HRS AGO. PRECIPITATION HAS REACHED EASTERN CA CONFIRMED AND SHOULD BE RECEIVING MOUNTAIN SNOW OVER NORTHERN ZONE 30 ATTM. CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY STORM SYSTEM...EXTENT OF EVENT WILL BE SPLITTING UPPER FLOW. 165KT H3 JET FEATURE WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE DIGGING OF MEAN TROUGH THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY WHILE ONLY WEAKENING MODESTLY. CURRENT NAM AND GFS BOTH SHOW AN EASTERLY JOG IN THE MEAN TROUGH WHICH WILL STILL BRING THE ANTICIPATED STRONG COLD FRONT THROUGH THE LKN CWA ON CHRISTMAS DAY. OVER-RUNNING PRECIPITATION IS NOW MOVING INTO NORTHWEST HUMBOLDT COUNTY...THEN WILL SPREAD EASTWARD ACROSS THE REST OF NORTHERN NV THROUGH THE DAY. NAM AND GFS WERE ONLY IN DISAGREEMENT BY A FEW HOURS ON THE ADVENT OF THE MOISTURE AND PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE ALL SNOW. THE STEADIEST PRECIP WILL REMAIN NORTH OF I-80 THROUGH THE DAY WITH LIGHTER SHOWERS FARTHER SOUTH. NAM INDICATES HEAVIEST QPF NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 HOWEVER GFS BREACHES SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE BY ABOUT 100 MILES WITH A 0.3 SWATH OF QPF. WILL RETAIN CURRENT WINTER STORM WARNING WITH SAME TIMEFRAME FOR ZONES 30 AND 31 FOR TODAY THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY. HAVE UPGRADED WATCH TO WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW FOR ZONE 34 AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR ZONES 32 AND 36 FOR SNOW. GENERALLY 2-4 INCHES VALLEYS...1-2 FEET MOUNTAINS FOR THURSDAY. THE SECOND PART OF THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT THE REGION TONIGHT BEFORE THE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH ON CHRISTMAS DAY. MODELS SHOW A 130+ KNOT JET OVER NORTHERN CA BY 12Z WEDNESDAY ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE MEAN UPPER TROUGH THAT WILL MOVE INTO THE PACIFIC NW WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WITH H7 WINDS INCREASING TO AS HIGH AS 60-70KTS WEDNESDAY AHEAD OF THE FRONT. WIND ADVISORY IN PLACE FOR ALL ZONES EXCEPT HUMBOLDT AND NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY WHICH WILL ALREADY BE COVERED BY THE WINTER STORM WARNING. WIND ADVISORIES WILL BE CONTINUED. PRECIPITATION WILL BE LIGHT AND MAINLY SHOWERY IN NATURE FOR ALL BUT FAR NORTHERN NV TONIGHT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. WIND GUSTS TO 55 MPH WILL BE COMMON TONIGHT WITH HIGHER GUSTS POSSIBLE OVER THE CREST OF THE RUBY MOUNTAINS. ON CHRISTMAS DAY...THE STRONG COLD FRONT AND ASSOCIATED UPPER TROUGH WILL SWING THROUGH THE REGION. VERY STRONG DYNAMICS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM AND VERY COLD AIR ALOFT MOVING IN BEHIND COLD FRONT WILL SERVE TO ENHANCE SNOWFALL ACROSS THE REGION. THE COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO REACH WMC AROUND 15Z THURS BEFORE PUSHING THROUGH THE REGION AND EXITING CENTRAL NV AROUND 00Z FRIDAY. MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT SHOWING 0.20-0.40 OF QPF BEHIND THE FRONT ON THURSDAY WITH HIGHEST AMOUNTS OVER NORTHERN NV. WITH MODELS REMAINING CONSISTENT IN SHOWING THIS MUCH PRECIP AND STRONG DYNAMICS OVER THE AREA. WINTER STORM WATCH WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN NYE...WHITE PINE AND SOUTHERN LANDER/EUREKA COUNTIES FOR CHRISTMAS DAY. SNOW WILL BE TAPERING OFF OVER NW NV THURSDAY MORNING BUT NOT UNTIL THURSDAY EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL NV. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS FROM THIS WINTER STORM ARE EXPECTED TO BE UP TO 6 INCHES IN THE VALLEYS OF NORTHERN NV AND 3-6 INCHES IN THE VALLEYS OF CENTRAL NV. THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN NV COULD PICK UP 1 TO 2 FEET OF SNOW WITH UP TO 1 FOOT IN THE MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL NV. THINGS QUIET DOWN HEADING INTO FRIDAY WITH JUST SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS LINGERING MAINLY OVER NORTHERN NV. DAYTIME TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY IN THE 20S ON FRIDAY IN THE WAKE OF THE CHRISTMAS STORM. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A DRAMATIC SHIFT IN THE WEATHER PATTERN LOOKS TO BE IN STORE FOR THE GREAT BASIN NEXT WEEK. AS THE CHRISTMAS LOW CONTINUES TO MOVE EASTWARD...NORTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL SETUP OVER THE CWA. THIS WILL KEEP SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY IN THE FORECAST FOR THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE SILVER STATE. MOST OF THESE SHOWERS SHOULD ONLY HAVE LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. AS THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK COMES AROUND...A MORE ZONAL FLOW WILL SET UP. THIS WILL ALLOW SOME SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES TO FILTER IN. HAVE NOT ADJUSTED THE TEMPS TO WHERE THEY WOULD BE IN THE FALL OR SPRING WITH THIS TYPE OF PATTERN DUE TO THE INVERSIONS THAT USUALLY SET UP WITH SNOW COVER. MODELS ARE INDICATING A STRONG RIDGE BUILDING IN OVER THE WEST COAST. IF THE 700 MB FLOW IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP THINGS MIXED NEXT WEEK...SOME STRONG INVERSIONS ARE LIKELY TO FORM. WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL TIME PROGRESSES TO SEE HOW THINGS WILL UNFOLD AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO TEMPS AS NEEDED. && .AVIATION...A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE WEST. THIS WILL CAUSE GUSTY WINDS...SOME GUSTS MAY REACH AROUND 40 MPH IN THE VALLEYS. THIS COULD CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW WHICH CAN REDUCE VISIBILITY AND POSSIBLY CAUSE SNOW DRIFTS ON RUNWAYS. AS THE MORNING PROGRESSES...LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS WILL BEGIN TO SPREAD ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA. CEILINGS WILL DROP AS WELL AS VISIBILITIES. IFR CONDITIONS SHOULD BE EXPECTED ACROSS HUMBOLDT AND ELKO COUNTIES BY LATE MORNING. LIFR CONDITIONS ALSO WOULD NOT BE OUT OF THE QUESTION. THESE CONDITIONS WILL SPREAD ACROSS MUCH OF THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE BY TONIGHT. PLEASE SEE WATCHES/WARNINGS/AND ADVISORIES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NVZ030...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW FROM 7 AM WEDNESDAY TO 7 AM PST THURSDAY. NVZ031...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW FROM 10 AM WEDNESDAY TO 10 AM PST THURSDAY. NVZ034...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW FROM 4 AM TO 4 PM PST THURSDAY. NVZ032-036...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW FROM 4 AM TO 4 PM PST THURSDAY. NVZ032-034-036...WIND ADVISORY FROM 7 PM WEDNESDAY TO 4 AM PST THURSDAY. NVZ013-035-037...WIND ADVISORY FROM 7 PM WEDNESDAY TO 7 AM PST THURSDAY. NVZ013-033-035-037...WINTER STORM WATCH THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING. && 92/97/97
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV 432 PM PST TUE DEC 23 2008 NVZ013-030>037-241000- NORTHERN NYE COUNTY-HUMBOLDT COUNTY-NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY- SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY- EXTREME EASTERN ELKO COUNTY-RUBY MOUNTAINS/EAST HUMBOLDT RANGE- WHITE PINE COUNTY- NORTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND NORTHERN EUREKA COUNTY- SOUTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND SOUTHERN EUREKA COUNTY- 432 PM PST TUE DEC 23 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT DRY AND CHILLY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT. OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES WILL DIP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS MUCH OF EASTERN NEVADA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE NEXT WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT THE REGION WEDNESDAY INTO CHRISTMAS DAY. UP TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE VALLEYS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEVADA THROUGH THURSDAY...WITH 1 TO 2 FEET POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN NEVADA. GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO ACCOMPANY THIS STORM SYSTEM WHICH WILL LEAD TO WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. WINDS COULD GUST AS HIGH AS 55 MPH. PERSONS PLANNING TO TRAVEL ON WEDNESDAY OR CHRISTMAS DAY ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AND TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. QUIETER WEATHER IS EXPECTED FRIDAY INTO THIS WEEKEND WITH ONLY A FEW SHOWERS POSSIBLE OVER NORTHERN NV. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. JM
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winnemucca received 7.8 inches of snow. In addition wind gust to 45 mph caused blowing and drifting of the snow.
A strong winter storm heavy snow and high winds to the area. Snotel sites reported 7 to 10 inches of snow. In addition strong winds caused blowing and drifting of the snow.
A strong winter storm brought heavy snow to the area. Wildhorse reported 12 inches of new snow, Tuscarora received 9 inches, and Charleston picked up 6 inches. In addition strong gusty winds to 45 mph caused blowing and drifting of the snow with reports of 3 to 4 foot drifts in Wildhorse.
A strong winter storm brought snow and blowing snow to the area. Three to four inches of new snow fell. In addition winds gusting to 55 mph reduced visibility to near zero at times and caused considerable drifting of the snow.
Three to four inches of snow was reported in Tonopah. Winds gusting to 50 mph caused blowing and drifting of the snow.
Four to five inches of new snow was reported in and around Ely. Winds gusting to 45 mph caused considerable blowing and drifting of the snow with visibilities reduced to less than 1/4 mile at times.
Winds gusting to 45 mph caused snow drifts up to 4 feet in and around eureka. An estimated 3 to 4 inches of new snow fell.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, December 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 138952, 138955, 138953, 138954, 138960, 138956, 138959.