The same cold trough that caused heavy snow less than 2 days before sent another wave of energy at the region for additional heavy snow. This system wrapped up a total of 4 to 6 feet of snow for the Carson Range from the 15th through the 19th.
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.
The same cold trough that caused heavy snow less than 2 days before sent another wave of energy at the region for additional heavy snow. This system wrapped up a total of 4 to 6 feet of snow for the Carson Range from the 15th through the 19th.
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 Feb 17, 6:51 AM PST, 5 hours 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
651 AM PST THU FEB 17 2011
.UPDATE...
LAKE EFFECT SNOW BAND HAS SETUP OFF OF LAKE TAHOE AND THROUGH THE
MOUNT ROSE HIGHWAY AREA INTO WASHOE/PLEASANT VALLEY. COULD SEE
SOME ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION FROM THE BAND IF IT LINGERS
THROUGH THE MORNING. HEAVIER SNOW IS SET TO MOVE INTO THE SIERRA
LATER TODAY. LATEST SATELLITE AND RADAR IMAGERY ARE SHOWING SOME
PRETTY GOOD ENHANCEMENT OVER THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY...WHICH IS
EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE SIERRA LATER THIS MORNING. A FEW TWEAKS
TO THE FORECAST FOR TODAY TO GET SOME NUMEROUS SHOWERS IN RENO AND
HIGHER CHANCES OF SNOW IN THE WESTERN NV VALLEYS LATER THIS
AFTERNOON. OTHER THAN THAT FORECAST LOOKS ON TRACK. HOON
&&
.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 355 AM PST THU FEB 17 2011/
SHORT TERM...
COMPLEX WEATHER PATTERN DEVELOPING THROUGH THE NEXT 48 HOURS WITH
SEVERAL COLD AND ENERGETIC SHORT WAVES ROTATING ABOUT THE LONG WAVE
TROUGH. THE END RESULT WILL LIKELY BE ADDITIONAL HEAVY SNOWFALL IN
THE SIERRA...EXTENDED INTO THE VALLEYS OF WESTERN NEVADA.
FOR TODAY...EXPECT SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS TO CONTINUE DURING THE DAY
UNDER MOIST AND MARGINALLY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS...WITH ADDITIONAL
ACCUMULATIONS LIMITED TO THE SIERRA AND HWY 395 CORRIDOR. SNOW WILL
INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON ALONG THE SIERRA
AS THE NEXT SHORT WAVE AND ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BAND MOVES INTO THE
WEST COAST. THE FRONTAL BAND IS FORECAST TO STALL NEAR A MINDEN TO
FALLON LINE TONIGHT...THEN LIFT NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT ACROSS
NERN CA AND NWRN NV DURING THE DAY FRIDAY. MODELS ARE SHOWING STRONG
FRONTOGENESIS...GOOD ISENTROPIC LIFT...AND A TIGHTENING 850 MB TEMP
GRADIENT WITH THIS FEATURE AS IT LIFTS NORTHWARD. MODEL SOUNDINGS
SHOW MANY AREAS BECOMING SATURATED TO NEAR 350 MB AHEAD OF THIS
FRONT...WITH A STRONG VEERING WIND PROFILE. ALL SIGNS POINT TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A BAND OF MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW DEVELOPING
FRIDAY AS THE WARM FRONT STRENGTHENS AND LIFTS NORTHWARD...WITH THE
POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO THE MORNING COMMUTE IN RENO AND
CARSON CITY. IT IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION FOR THE 395 CORRIDOR FROM
RENO TO MINDEN TO SEE UPWARDS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW BY EARLY
AFTERNOON. THE PATTERN BECOMES INCREASINGLY COMPLICATED BY FRIDAY
AFTERNOON AS THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE WARM FRONT BECOMES ANCHORED TO
A SURFACE LOW SOMEWHERE NEAR DOUGLAS COUNTY...WITH THE BAND OF SNOW
PIVOTING ABOUT THE LOW. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOCALIZED HEAVIER
ACCUMULATIONS SOMEWHERE ALONG THE SIERRA FRONT BETWEEN THE CARSON
VALLEY AND RENO AS STEADY SNOW WOULD HAVE A HARDER TIME CLEARING
OUT. HOWEVER...ALSO EXPECT SNOW LEVELS TO RISE TO NEAR OR JUST ABOVE
VALLEY FLOORS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS THE WARM FRONT PASSES...SO PRECIP
COULD TRANSITION TO EITHER A WET/SLUSHY SNOW OR RAIN/SNOW MIX FOR
ELEVATIONS BELOW 5000 FT. THIS MAY LIMIT ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS ON
THE VALLEY FLOORS FRIDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING.
THE SIERRA LOOKS TO GET HIT PRETTY GOOD AS WELL...ESPECIALLY BETWEEN
ABOUT LAKE TAHOE AND TIOGA PASS. MODELS INDICATE QPF OF 2-3 INCHES
ALONG THE SIERRA CREST FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT.
THIS ROUGHLY EQUATES TO 2-4 FEET OF NEW SNOW ABOVE 7000 FT AND 1-2
FEET AT LAKE LEVEL. AREAS TO THE NORTH ARE A LITTLE TRICKIER AS MUCH
DEPENDS ON WHERE THE SYSTEM PIVOTS ONCE IT MOVES INLAND...BUT IT
LOOKS LIKE THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS OF PLUMAS-LASSEN COUNTIES WEST OF
395 COULD SEE 1-2 FEET OF NEW SNOW.
THE FOCUS OF THE PRECIP BEGINS TO SHIFT TO THE SOUTH AND EAST FRIDAY
NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS ANOTHER REINFORCING SHORT WAVE DROPS DOWN THE
COAST. SEE DETAILS BELOW. SCV
SATURDAY...
ANOTHER REINFORCING SHORTWAVE WILL DROP DOWN ALONG THE COAST AND
START TO PUSH THE UPPER LOW INLAND INTO CA/NV. AS THE LOW PUSHES
INLAND WE COULD SEE SOME WRAP AROUND MOISTURE INTO THE WESTERN NV
VALLEYS THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS COULD DROP ANOTHER COUPLE
INCHES OF SNOW INTO THE NV VALLEYS ALONG THE I-80/US50 CORRIDORS.
BUMPED UP POPS AND QPF FOR THIS PERIOD AS THE LOW ROTATES AROUND TO
THE SOUTH.
LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...
NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE LONG TERM AS THE FOCUS HAS REMAINED IN THE
SHORT TERM. WE GET SOME SLIGHT RIDGING INTO THE REGION ON SUNDAY AS
THE LOW DEPARTS TO THE EAST AND A BREAK IN THE ACTION. THE ACTIVE
WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE INTO NEXT WEEK AS ADDITIONAL ENERGY
DROP OUT OF THE GULF OF AK AND DOWN THE WEST COAST.
TRACK OF THE NEXT LOW MON-TUE STILL REMAINS UNCERTAIN...ALTHOUGH
MODELS HAVE DEFINITELY TRENDED OFFSHORE. THIS WOULD LEAD TO LITTLE
OR NO PRECIP IF THEY CONTINUE TO DRAG IT OFFSHORE. MADE NO
CHANGES...SO WE DON'T FLIP FLOP THE FORECAST...BUT IF MODELS
CONTINUE TO TREND OFFSHORE WE WILL NEED TO START TRIMMING BACK FOR
THE MON-TUE TIME PERIOD. MODELS ARE HINTING AT A FAST MOVING SLIDER
TYPE STORM FOR LATE NEXT WEEK THAT WE WILL HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON.
HOON
AVIATION...
SNOW CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY TODAY...INCREASING THIS AFTERNOON AS
ANOTHER WINTER STORM APPROACHES THE AREA. SNOWFALL RATES IN THE
SIERRA WILL INCREASE AFTER 18Z...WITH LIFR CONDITIONS LIKELY THROUGH
SATURDAY MORNING. WINDS WON'T BE TOO MUCH OF A PROBLEM...WITH HEAVY
SNOW BEING THE MAIN IMPACT. EXPECT ANOTHER 18-24 INCHES AT KTRK AND
KTVL THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. KTRK/KTVL SHOULD BE BELOW MINS FOR MOST
OF THE NEXT 36 HOURS OR SO.
FOR KRNO...SNOW WILL INCREASE AFTER 00Z WITH PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW
LIKELY 06-18Z FRIDAY WITH IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS. WINTER STORM WARNING
HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE RENO-CARSON CITY-MINDEN AREA...MEANING THAT
HEAVY SNOW WILL AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SNOWFALL
TOTALS WILL BE AROUND 4-6 INCHES AT KRNO...WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS
FURTHER SOUTH TOWARD CARSON/MINDEN UP TO 10 INCHES. HEAVIEST AMOUNT
OF SNOW WILL BE BETWEEN 12-18Z FRIDAY MORNING...WITH HEAVY SNOW
LIKELY BRINGING KRNO BELOW MINIMUMS AT TIMES.
AS FOR KNFL/KLOL THERE WILL BE SOME LIGHTER SNOW AMOUNTS FRIDAY
MORNING...UP TO A COUPLE INCHES. HOON
&&
.REV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NV...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM PST
FRIDAY NVZ004-005.
LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR LAKE TAHOE
IN NVZ002.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 AM PST
SATURDAY NVZ002.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 PM PST
FRIDAY NVZ001.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 PM PST FRIDAY
NVZ003.
CA...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM PST FRIDAY
CAZ071.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM PST
FRIDAY CAZ070.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 AM PST
SATURDAY CAZ073.
LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR LAKE TAHOE
IN CAZ072.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 AM PST
SATURDAY CAZ072.
&&
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
809 AM PST THU FEB 17 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0808 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 ENE ALPINE MEADOWS 39.18N 120.16W
02/17/2011 M36.0 INCH PLACER CA TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL SINCE TUESDAY EVENING. 12 INCHES
FELL SINCE LAST EVENING.
&&
SSNYDERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
845 AM PST THU FEB 17 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0808 AM SNOW 1 NNW CARSON CITY 39.18N 119.77W
02/17/2011 M2.0 INCH CARSON CITY NV TRAINED SPOTTER
OVERNIGHT SNOWFALL. STORM TOTAL OF 7 INCHES SINCE TUESDAY
EVENING.
0817 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 ENE CISCO 39.32N 120.45W
02/17/2011 M20.0 INCH NEVADA CA TRAINED SPOTTER
20 INCHES 24 HOUR TOTAL NEAR KINGVALE. STORM TOTAL 48
INCHES. 102 INCHES ON THE GROUND.
0817 AM SNOW 4 SSW PROSSER CREEK RES 39.33N 120.18W
02/17/2011 E11.0 INCH NEVADA CA TRAINED SPOTTER
NEW SNOW OVERNIGHT. 15 INCHES STORM TOTAL.
0817 AM SNOW 1 NE CARSON CITY 39.18N 119.75W
02/17/2011 M7.0 INCH CARSON CITY NV TRAINED SPOTTER
7 INCHES STORM TOTAL. 0.58 INCHES MELTED SNOW.
0817 AM SNOW 7 W QUINCY 39.93N 121.07W
02/17/2011 M5.0 INCH PLUMAS CA TRAINED SPOTTER
5 INCHES NEW SNOW OVERNIGHT WITH 0.34 MELTED AT 3800
FEET. STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION 5.30 INCHES.
&&
RMILNEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
1133 AM PST THU FEB 17 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 AM SNOW SQUAW VALLEY 39.20N 120.22W
02/17/2011 M20.0 INCH PLACER CA PUBLIC
24 HOUR TOTAL OF 20 INCHES MEASURED AT SQUAW VALLEY SKI
RESORT. STORM TOTALS FOR LOWER MOUNTAIN IS 27 INCHES AND
UPPER MOUNTAIN IS 33 INCHES.
0630 AM SNOW 5 E INCLINE VILLAGE 39.25N 119.87W
02/17/2011 M14.0 INCH WASHOE NV PUBLIC
24 HOUR TOTAL SNOW MEASURED AT DIAMOND PEAK SKI RESORT.
0630 AM SNOW MAMMOTH LAKES 37.64N 118.96W
02/17/2011 M13.0 INCH MONO CA PUBLIC
24 HOUR TOTAL MEASURED AT MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT
WITH UP TO 20 INCHES AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS.
0630 AM SNOW NORTHSTAR 39.28N 120.12W
02/17/2011 M26.0 INCH PLACER CA PUBLIC
24 HOUR TOTAL OF 26 INCHES MEASURED AT MID MOUNTIAN AT
NORTHSTAR AT TAHOE SKI RESORT WITH 32 INCHES MEASURED AT
THE SUMMIT.
0630 AM SNOW HEAVENLY VALLEY 38.96N 119.89W
02/17/2011 M21.0 INCH DOUGLAS NV PUBLIC
24 HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL AT HEAVENLY LAKE TAHOE SKI RESORT.
0630 AM SNOW HOMEWOOD 39.08N 120.16W
02/17/2011 M22.0 INCH PLACER CA PUBLIC
24 HOUR TOTAL OF 22 INCHES MEASURED AT HOMEWOOD SKI
RESORT WITH 34 INCHES STORM TOTAL.
0630 AM SNOW MOUNT ROSE SKI AREA 39.33N 119.89W
02/17/2011 M10.0 INCH WASHOE NV PUBLIC
OVERNIGHT SNOWFALL AT MOUNT ROSE SKI AREA WAS 10 INCHES
WITH 29 INCHES STORM TOTAL.
0700 AM SNOW 1 NE INCLINE VILLAGE 39.26N 119.94W
02/17/2011 M7.0 INCH WASHOE NV TRAINED SPOTTER
7 INCHES MEASURED OVERNIGHT AT 6700 FEET ELEVATION WITH
23 INCHES STORM TOTAL.
0700 AM SNOW 1 WNW MAMMOTH LAKES 37.65N 118.98W
02/17/2011 M14.0 INCH MONO CA TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL WITH 1.47 SNOW WATER EQUIVALENT.
0700 AM SNOW 5 S PROSSER CREEK RESER 39.31N 120.18W
02/17/2011 M15.0 INCH NEVADA CA TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL AT 6200 FEET ELEVATION.
0808 AM HEAVY SNOW 4 SSW SUSANVILLE 40.33N 120.60W
02/17/2011 M7.0 INCH LASSEN CA TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HR SNOWFALL AT 4800 FT. STORM TOTAL OF 17 INCHES SINCE
10 PM TUESDAY.
0808 AM SNOW 1 NNW CARSON CITY 39.18N 119.77W
02/17/2011 M2.0 INCH CARSON CITY NV TRAINED SPOTTER
OVERNIGHT SNOWFALL. STORM TOTAL OF 7 INCHES SINCE TUESDAY
EVENING.
0808 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 ENE ALPINE MEADOWS 39.18N 120.16W
02/17/2011 M36.0 INCH PLACER CA TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL SINCE TUESDAY EVENING. 12 INCHES
FELL SINCE LAST EVENING.
0817 AM SNOW 7 W QUINCY 39.93N 121.07W
02/17/2011 M5.0 INCH PLUMAS CA TRAINED SPOTTER
5 INCHES NEW SNOW OVERNIGHT WITH 0.34 MELTED AT 3800
FEET. STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION 5.30 INCHES.
0817 AM SNOW 4 W PROSSER CREEK RESER 39.37N 120.25W
02/17/2011 E18.0 INCH NEVADA CA TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM TOTAL OF 34 INCHES.
0817 AM SNOW 1 NE CARSON CITY 39.18N 119.75W
02/17/2011 M7.0 INCH CARSON CITY NV TRAINED SPOTTER
7 INCHES STORM TOTAL. 0.58 INCHES MELTED SNOW.
0817 AM SNOW 4 SSW PROSSER CREEK RES 39.33N 120.18W
02/17/2011 E11.0 INCH NEVADA CA TRAINED SPOTTER
NEW SNOW OVERNIGHT. 15 INCHES STORM TOTAL.
0817 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 ENE CISCO 39.32N 120.45W
02/17/2011 M20.0 INCH NEVADA CA TRAINED SPOTTER
20 INCHES 24 HOUR TOTAL NEAR KINGVALE. STORM TOTAL 48
INCHES. 102 INCHES ON THE GROUND.
0910 AM SNOW 2 SE SPANISH SPRINGS 39.65N 119.69W
02/17/2011 M1.0 INCH WASHOE NV TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL WITH 0.10 LIQUID EQUIVALENT.
1019 AM SNOW 5 W BECKWOURTH 39.81N 120.47W
02/17/2011 M7.0 INCH PLUMAS CA TRAINED SPOTTER
OVERNIGHT SNOW TOTAL WAS 7 INCHES MEASURED WITH 17 INCHES
STORM TOTAL.
&&
KLABELLEThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 heavy snow, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Daggett Pass CO-OP reported 19 inches with this round of heavy snow, with 30 to 40 inches at the Diamond Peak and Mt Rose ski areas.
A widespread 5 to 8 inches of snow fell for the Reno and Carson City areas, with 8 to 12 inches in the foothills west of highway 395. Lesser amounts of 2 to 4 inches fell east of Reno and Carson City, including Sparks and Spanish Springs.
A widespread 4 to 6 inches of snow fell in about 12 hours. However, with temperatures hovering near freezing there was little impact through around 2000PST on the 18th. Chain and snow tire requirements did become widespread by the morning of the 19th.
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: 287325, 287332, 287348.