A strong cold front brought strong winds to portions of eastern and central Nevada. Wind gusts up to 77 mph were reported.
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 portions of eastern and central Nevada. Wind gusts up to 77 mph were reported.
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 Feb 16, 10:13 AM PST, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV 1013 AM PST WED FEB 16 2011 .SYNOPSIS...A POTENT STORM SYSTEM FROM THE PACIFIC WILL BRING GUSTY WINDS AND SNOW TO THE REGION TODAY. SNOW SHOWERS AND MUCH COLDER AIR WILL LINGER ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. && .UPDATE...UPDATED ZONES TO TAKE OUT MENTION OF WIND ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY AND EUREKA AND LANDER COUNTIES AS WINDS HAVE SUBSIDED BELOW WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA. HOWEVER...EXPECT LOCAL GUST UP TO 45 MPH JUST AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. OTHERWISE PLAN ON NO OTHER CHANGES TO MORNING PACKAGE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED AT 827 AM / AVIATION UPDATE...VERY STRONG COLD FRONT HAS ARRIVED AT KWMC WITH WIND GUSTS NEAR 45 KTS AND LIFR/VLIFR CONDITIONS IN SN. THIS VERY STRONG COLD FRONT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT AIRPORT OPERATIONS AS IT PASSES EACH TERMINAL THROUGH 00Z. INCLUDED A TEMPO GROUP FOR KEKO...EXPECTING FROPA 19-21Z...WITH A PERIOD OF LIFR/VLIFR LIKELY IN SHSN AND WIND GUSTS APPROACHING 50KTS. ISOLATED LIGHTNING STRIKES CERTAINLY POSSIBLE...BUT DID NOT INCLUDE THUNDER IN THE TAFS AS OF YET. COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED AT KELY 23-02Z AND PLAN ON INCLUDING A TEMPO FOR KELY FOR THE 18Z TAF PACKAGE. BT PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED AT 348 AM / SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE FCST AREA TODAY. THE FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS HUMBOLDT COUNTY THIS MORNING THEN REACH ELKO AROUND 2 PM THEN INTO ELY AROUND 4 PM. STRONG WINDS ALOFT WILL MIX DOWN WITH THE FRONT ESPECIALLY ACROSS PORTIONS OF CNTRL AND ERN NV WHERE HIGH WIND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT. MODELS INDICATE PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM ONE TENTH TO ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH. RAIN AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL QUICKLY CHANGE OVER TO SNOW WITH ACCUMULATIONS IN THE 1 TO 3 INCH RANGE EXPECTED. WILL CONTINUE WITH THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR MOST OF THE FCST AREA TODAY. EVEN THOUGH ACTUAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE BELOW CRITERIA IN SOME AREAS THE STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL CAUSE BLOWING OF THE SNOW SEVER LY REDUCING VISIBILITIES AND COULD CREATE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE COLD FRONT WILL EXIT INTO UTAH EARLY THIS EVENING. A COUPLE OF SHORT WAVE DROPPING DOWN THE COAST WILL KEEP THE AREA UNDER A MOIST WEST TO SOUTHWEST FLOW FOR A CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS THROUGH FRIDAY. LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY. MODELS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. FRIDAY NIGHT BOTH GFS AND ECMWF MODELS DEPICT A LOW CENTERED OVER THE NORTHERN CA COASTAL WATERS WHICH IS PROGGED TO DIG SOUTHEAST...CENTERING OVER SOUTHERN CA SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL SET UP A SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER THE CWA...WITH MOST OF THE SHOWER ACTIVITY CENTERED OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE CWA. MODEL SOLUTIONS BEGIN TO DIVERGE ON SUNDAY AS THE LOW EJECTS OFF TO THE EAST. MODELS AGREE THAT ANOTHER LOW WILL DIG SOUTH OVER OR NEAR THE COASTAL WATERS OF THE PAC NW SUNDAY NIGHT...CENTERING NEAR THE NORTHERN CA COAST MONDAY NIGHT. EXACT POSITION OF THE LOW WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN QPF. GFS HAS THE SYSTEM CENTERED OVER NORTHERN CA WHICH IF VERIFIED BRINGS PRECIP INTO THE CWA MONDAY EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING. EC ON THE OTHER HAND HAS THE LOW CENTERED ALONG THE NORTHERN CA COASTLINE...WHICH IF VERIFIED WOULD KEEP PRECIP WEST OF THE CWA EARLY NEXT WEEK. AS SUCH...STILL A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE MODELS AND FORECAST SUNDAY NIGHT AND BEYOND. AVIATION...A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL SPREAD NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ACROSS NEVADA TODAY. WINDS WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING SYSTEM BRINGING MORE BLOWING DUST TO THE WMC VICINITY...AND STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS TO MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEVADA. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO REACH WMC AROUND 18Z...EKO AROUND 21Z...TPH AROUND 22Z AND ELY AROUND 23Z. WIND GUSTS OF 50KTS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ARE EXPECTED WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE AT WMC...EKO...AND ELY WHICH COULD BRING VISIBILITIES TO VLIFR CONDITIONS. && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY...NORTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND NORTHERN EUREKA COUNTY...NORTHERN NYE COUNTY...SOUTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND SOUTHERN EUREKA COUNTY...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY...WHITE PINE COUNTY. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR HUMBOLDT COUNTY. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR EXTREME EASTERN ELKO COUNTY...NORTHERN NYE COUNTY...WHITE PINE COUNTY. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE RUBY MOUNTAINS/EAST HUMBOLDT RANGE IN THE RUBY MOUNTAINS/EAST HUMBOLDT RANGE...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR RUBY MOUNTAINS/EAST HUMBOLDT RANGE. && 99/99
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV 312 AM PST WED FEB 16 2011 NVZ030-031-036-037-171115- HUMBOLDT COUNTY-NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY- NORTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND NORTHERN EUREKA COUNTY- SOUTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND SOUTHERN EUREKA COUNTY- 312 AM PST WED FEB 16 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NEVADA...NORTHEAST NEVADA AND NORTHWEST NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY A PACIFIC STORM WILL BRING A PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WINDS. WIDESPREAD SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE LATE TODAY. WINTER WEATHER AND WIND ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL BRING PERIODS OF SNOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT WEATHER PHENOMENA ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE. NVZ013-035-171115- NORTHERN NYE COUNTY-WHITE PINE COUNTY- 312 AM PST WED FEB 16 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL NEVADA AND SOUTH CENTRAL NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY STRONG WINDS AND PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH A PACIFIC STORM WILL IMPACT THE REGION TODAY. A PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW...ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WINDS EXCEEDING 60 MPH IN GUSTS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE EXPECTED SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. HIGH WIND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE EXPECTED WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL BRING PERIODS OF SNOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT WEATHER PHENOMENA ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE. NVZ032-034-171115- SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY- RUBY MOUNTAINS/EAST HUMBOLDT RANGE- 312 AM PST WED FEB 16 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH A PACIFIC STORM WILL IMPACT THE AREA TODAY. A PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL BRING PERIODS OF SNOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT WEATHER PHENOMENA ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE. NVZ033-171115- EXTREME EASTERN ELKO COUNTY- 312 AM PST WED FEB 16 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY. STRONG WINDS AND PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH A PACIFIC STORM WILL IMPACT THE REGION. A BRIEF PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW...ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WINDS EXCEEDING 60 MPH IN GUSTS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. HIGH WIND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL BRING PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS. .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.
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust to 62 mph was measured at the Baker NDOT Mesonet site and a gust to 61 mph was measured at the Pancake Summit NDOT Mesonet site.
The Ruby Valley RAWS measured a wind gust to 77 mph.
The Currant Creek NDOT Mesonet site measured a wind gust to 69 mph. The Currant Creek RAWS measured a wind gust to 59 mph.
Wind gusts to 60 mph were estimated in Ruby and Clover Valleys based on the 77 mph gust measured at the Ruby Valley RAWS and a 56 mph gust at the Ruby Lake RAWS.
A gust to 59 mph was reported at the Wendover ASOS.
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, February 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: 273533, 273536, 273531, 273541, 273535.