A strong cold front brought strong winds to northeast Nevada where wind gusts to 68 mph were observed.
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 LKN wrote it up.
A strong cold front brought strong winds to northeast Nevada where wind gusts to 68 mph were observed.
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 30, 2:24 PM PST, 3 hours 36 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV 224 PM PST FRI DEC 30 2011 .SYNOPSIS...A STORM SYSTEM WILL EXIT THE REGION...WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY. COOL TEMPERATURES CAN BE EXPECTED SATURDAY...WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING TO ABOVE NORMALS LEVELS EXPECTED TO START OUT THE NEW YEAR. && .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. COUNTERCLOCKWISE SPIN CAN BE SEEN IN THE SATELLITE IMAGERY THIS AFTERNOON....NOW CENTERED OVER NORTHWESTERN OREGON. OUT AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WINDS HAVE INCREASED OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST...AND WHERE INVERSIONS DON'T EXIST...HIGH TEMPERATURES HAVE CLIMBED AS WELL. THIS WILL BE SHORT LIVED AS A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MARCH ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA TODAY AND TONIGHT...WITH TEMPERATURES DROPPING TO NEAR NORMAL LEVELS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. LIGHT SHOWERS ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT IN WINNEMUCCA AT THIS TIME...WITH A TIGHT GRADIENT IN SURFACE MOISTURE SEEN AS TEMPERATURE AND DEWPOINT SPREADS ARE GREATER THAN 10 DEGREES AT THIS TIME. HAVE NUDGED POPS SOME NEAR THE IDAHO AND OREGON BORDERS TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING. NOT EXPECTING A WHOLE LOT OF PRECIPITATION WITH THIS SYSTEM AS BEST MOISTURE CONTINUES TO REMAIN JUST NORTH OF THE BORDER. WINDS HAVE PICKED UP ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA...AND A WIND ADVISORY WAS ISSUED EARLIER FOR THE NORTHERN ZONES. A FEW LOCALES HAVE GONE ABOVE ADVISORY CRITERIA ALREADY...AND ALL MODELS ARE SHOWING THE STRONGEST WINDS TO DEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AS 90AGL WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO TOP OUT AT 50 TO MAYBE EVEN 60 KNOTS...WITH THE HIGHEST WINDS IN NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY. 700MB GEFS ANOMALIES ARE A GOOD +2-3SD THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THEREFORE WILL LET THE ADVISORY RIDE AS IS. 500 MB TROUGH AXIS IS EXPECTED TO SCOOT OUT QUICKLY...WITH A POSITION IN UTAH/WYOMING BY TOMORROW MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BUILD FOR TOMORROW WITH A NORTHWEST FLOW DEVELOPING. AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL ACTUALLY BE NEAR NORMAL WITH SOME SUN. OVERNIGHT LOWS SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY MORNING ARE EXPECTED TO DIP BACK INTO THE LOW TEENS TO PERHAPS THE SINGLE DIGITS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING QUIET WEATHER AND WARMING AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES TO NORTHERN NEVADA SUNDAY AND MONDAY WITH LIGHT WINDS EXPECTED. .LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT FRIDAY. MILD AND DRY WEATHER WILL CONTINUE FOR THE GREAT BASIN THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK...WITH AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES AGAIN MUCH ABOVE NORMAL FOR EARLY JANUARY. MODEL GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL AFFECT NEVADA WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES AND SOME RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS NEXT FRIDAY. TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY...UNSEASONABLY BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOONS BOTH DAYS UNDER STRONG HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING. 700 MB TEMPS CLIMB TO 1-4C TUESDAY AND EVEN HIGHER TO 3-5C WEDNESDAY. MAX TEMP GRIDS ARE VERY NEAR RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES...ESPECIALLY WEDNESDAY WHEN KEKO'S RECORD IS 56 SET IN 1900. WITH MUCH DRIER CONTINENTAL AIR IN PLACE...RADIATIONAL COOLING WILL ALLOW OVERNIGHT LOWS TO STILL BE SEASONABLY COLD AND NEAR NORMAL FOR JANUARY. 12Z GFS/ECMWF ARE BOTH IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THE NEXT TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL AFFECT NEVADA THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. SW FLOW INCREASES ON THURSDAY...STILL VERY MILD WITH THICKNESSES SUPPORTING LOWER 50S AND NEAR RECORD HIGHS IN THE AFTERNOON...DESPITE INCREASING CLOUDS AHEAD OF TROUGH. GFS SOLUTIONS ARE MUCH DEEPER/COLDER WITH ITS TROUGH PASSAGE ACROSS NEVADA NEXT FRIDAY...AND MUCH MORE GENEROUS WITH ITS QPF/SNOWFALL FIELDS FOR NORTHERN NEVADA. ECMWF IS NOTABLY FASTER/WEAKER AND MUCH DRIER. 12Z GFS OFFERS A SOLUTION THAT IS DEEPER AND MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN ANYTHING WE HAVE SEEN IN OVER ONE MONTH...SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO GIVE IT CREDENCE. NUDGED POPS UP EVER SO SLIGHTLY THURSDAY NIGHT/FRIDAY...TO GET NORTHERN VALLEYS TO BARELY SLIGHT CHANCE /15%/...AND INCREASED THE POPS SOMEWHAT FOR THE MOUNTAINS. WILL NOT GO ANY HIGHER UNTIL WE SEE EVIDENCE OF A REAL PATTERN CHANGE FROM THE EXTENDED DRY SPELL. GFS/ECMWF DO AGREE THIS NEXT TROUGH WILL DELIVER MUCH COLDER AIR TO NEVADA...WITH AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES RETURNING TO NEAR NORMAL NEXT FRIDAY. BT && .AVIATION...STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS WILL IMPACT OPERATIONS ACROSS NORTHERN TAF SITES THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH GUSTS NEAR 40 KTS AND AREAS OF BLDU EXPECTED. THE AIRMASS HAS DRIED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE LOWER LEVELS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT SO DO NOT EXPECT ANY OF THE TAF SITES TO EXPERIENCE ANY PRECIPITATION WITH CIGS TO STAY VFR. HAVE DECREASED WIND FORECASTS AT BOTH KELY AND KTPH AS CLOUD COVER HAS LIMITED MIXING AND WINDS HAVE NOT GUSTED AS EXPECTED. RLC && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST SATURDAY FOR EXTREME EASTERN ELKO COUNTY...NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY...RUBY MOUNTAINS/EAST HUMBOLDT RANGE...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR HUMBOLDT COUNTY. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR NORTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND NORTHERN EUREKA COUNTY. && 86/99/90
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV 1018 AM PST FRI DEC 30 2011 NVZ031>034-311830- NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY-SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY- EXTREME EASTERN ELKO COUNTY-RUBY MOUNTAINS/EAST HUMBOLDT RANGE- 1018 AM PST FRI DEC 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THIS FRONT WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH IN THE VALLEYS AND UP TO 55 MPH ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH LATE THIS EVENING INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. BEHIND THE FRONT SOME LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH ACCUMULATIONS LESS THAN 1/2 INCH IN THE VALLEYS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT WEATHER PHENOMENA ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE. NVZ030-311830- HUMBOLDT COUNTY- 1018 AM PST FRI DEC 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THIS FRONT WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH IN THE VALLEYS AND UP TO 55 MPH ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN. THIS WILL ALLOW BLOWING DUST TO BE KICKED UP FROM THE DRY ALKALI LAKES TO THE SOUTHWEST...LEADING TO REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY OF ONE MILE OR LESS. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH LATER THIS EVENING. BEHIND THE FRONT SOME LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH ACCUMULATIONS LESS THAN 1/2 INCH IN THE VALLEYS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT WEATHER PHENOMENA ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE. NVZ036-311830- NORTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND NORTHERN EUREKA COUNTY- 1018 AM PST FRI DEC 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THIS FRONT WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH IN THE VALLEYS AND UP TO 55 MPH ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN. THIS WILL ALLOW BLOWING DUST TO BE KICKED UP FROM THE DRY ALKALI LAKES TO THE SOUTHWEST...LEADING TO REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY OF ONE MILE OR LESS. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH LATER THIS EVENING. BEHIND THE FRONT SOME LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH ACCUMULATIONS LESS THAN 1/2 INCH IN THE VALLEYS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT WEATHER PHENOMENA ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A gust to 68 mph was recorded by the Long Hollow RAWS. Other gusts included 61 mph at the Stag Mountain RAWS, 61 mph at the Bishop Flat NDOT site, and 60 mph at the O'Neil NDOT site.
Wind gusts up to 67 mph were observed at Pequop Summit and the Warm Springs NDOT mesonet site. A gust to 58 mph was recorded at the Spruce Mountain RAWS.
A gust to 68 mph was observed at the Pilot Peak Junction NDOT mesonet site. A gust to 58 mph was recorded at the Spring Gulch RAWS.
A gust to 80 mph was reported by the Ruby Valley RAWS, and a gust to 63 mph was reported by the Ruby Lake RAWS.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, December 2011
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: 352954, 352955, 352956, 352957.