A low pressure system and associated cold front brought isolated heavy snow and locally high wind to the southern Great Basin.
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 VEF wrote it up.
A low pressure system and associated cold front brought isolated heavy snow and locally high wind to the southern Great Basin.
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 Las Vegas, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 29, 9:17 AM PST, 3 hours 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
917 AM PST WED FEB 29 2012
.SYNOPSIS...A BIG STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING AREAS OF STRONG WINDS
THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE ON THE EAST SLOPES
OF THE SIERRA AND WHITE MOUNTAINS TODAY...IN THE WESTERN MOJAVE
DESERT THURSDAY...AND DOWN THE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY FRIDAY THROUGH
SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM UP THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK.
&&
.UPDATE...MAIN CONCERN TODAY CONTINUES TO BE THE EXPECTED WINDS.
SITES JUST NORTH OF THE CWA REPORTING STRONG WINDS...SUCH AS THE
MAMMOTH LAKES AREA OF MONO COUNTY CA AND ALSO IN THE GABBS AREA IN
NORTHERN NYE COUNTY...WHICH PROVIDES GOOD CONFIDENCE IN KEEPING THE
HIGH WIND WARNING OUT FOR DOWNSLOPE WINDS WITHIN OUR CWA...AS THE
TROUGH OVER THE PACNW SAGS SOUTHEAST TODAY. AT THE SAME TIME...
GRADIENT WINDS ACROSS SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SHOULD ALSO BE ON THE
INCREASE THIS MORNING WITH LOW END ADVISORY LEVEL WINDS EXPECTED
THIS AFTERNOON. OVERALL THE CURRENT FORECAST REMAINS ON TRACK AND DO
NOT PLAN ANY UPDATES THIS MORNING.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION...
321 AM PST WED FEB 29 2012
.SHORT TERM...SATELLITE LOOP SHOWS AXIS OF STRONG WINDS WORKING ITS
WAY DOWN THE SIERRA WITH VERY SHARP CLEARING JUST EAST OF THE CREST.
WAVE CLOUD OVER THE OWENS VALLEY SUGGESTS A ROTOR IN PROGRESS...AND
LIGHT NORTHEAST WIND AT BISHOP SUPPORTS THIS. REALLY MISSING THE
SIERRA ROTORS OBSERVING NETWORK RIGHT NOW. ANYWAY...HIGH WIND
WARNING IS ALREADY OUT THERE. WIND ADVISORY FOR THIS AFTERNOON IN
CAZ523 LOOKS GOOD AS WELL. AFTER A WELL DEFINED BREAK OVERNIGHT
THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING...WINDS WILL BE EVEN STRONGER OUT THERE
TOMORROW AFTERNOON. THOUGHT ABOUT A HIGH WIND WATCH...AND DECIDED TO
KEEP IT SIMPLE BY TAKING IT ONE EVENT AT A TIME. STRONG COLD FRONT
DRIVES THROUGH THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT...BRINGING STRONG NORTH WINDS
AND VERY DRY AIR. MOS GUIDANCE SHOWS DEWPOINTS BELOW ZERO...AND IT
FREQUENTLY UNDERPLAYS THE EXTREME EVENTS. HOISTED A FIRE WEATHER
WATCH FOR THE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY FRIDAY...AND MORE WIND PRODUCTS
ARE LIKELY TO BE NEEDED AS WELL.
.LONG TERM...HIGH PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO DOMINATE THE WEEKEND
WEATHER RESULTING IN RELATIVELY LIGHT WIND...DRY CONDITIONS AND
MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF SPREAD WITH REGARDS TO
HIGH TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY BUT THEY SHOULD END UP WITHIN A COUPLE
OF DEGREES OF NORMAL...PLUS OR MINUS. BY SUNDAY...WITH RIDGING
SOLIDLY IN PLACE...TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO WARM TO AROUND 5
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. ALL MODELS BRING A SHORTWAVE TROUGH INTO THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST SOMETIME MONDAY BUT THEN HAVE FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCES IN THE EVOLUTION OF THIS TROUGH AND THE ONE THAT
FOLLOWS. EITHER WAY...THESE SYSTEMS ARE FORECAST TO BE FAR ENOUGH
AWAY THAT NO PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED WITHIN THE CWA. MONDAYS
TEMPERATURES SHOULD REACH SUNDAYS LEVELS BUT AN INCREASE IN SOUTH
WIND COULD AID MIXING AND ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO REACH THERE FULL
HEATING POTENTIAL. THIS WOULD MEAN TEMPERATURES SEVERAL MORE DEGREES
WARMER ON MONDAY. A WAVE MOVES THROUGH THE AREA TUESDAY LOWERING
TEMPERATURES SEVERAL DEGREES ON TUESDAY AND AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY.
&&
.AVIATION...FOR MCCARRAN...SCT-BKN SKY COVER GENERALLY AOA 20K FEET
OVER THE NEXT 24 HRS. SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 10-12KTS TO CONTINUE
THROUGH MUCH OF THE MORNING THEN BECOMING GUSTY LATE THIS MORNING
MORNING AND THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AT 15-25KTS. A FEW LOWER CLOUDS
ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE MOUNTAINS TODAY WITH SOME MID LEVEL CLOUDS
FROM 12-15K FEET OVER THE VALLEY.
FOR THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA...NORTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA...SCT-BKN MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS THROUGH THE MORNING
AS A PACIFIC SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE NORTHWEST COAST. CIGS OF 10-12K
FEET ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE NORTHERN ZONES ALONG WITH A CHANCE OF
RAIN AND SNOW OVER THE NORTHWEST CWA TODAY SPREADING ACROSS CENTRAL
NYE AND LINCOLN COUNTIES TONIGHT. SOUTHERLY WINDS AROUND 10KTS TO
CONTINUE INTO EARLY THIS MORNING...THEN INCREASE TO AROUND 15-25KTS
THIS AFTERNOON. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVER WESTERN SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY...ESMERALDA AND CENTRAL NYE COUNTIES WITH WIND
SPEEDS 25-35KTS. THE EASTERN SIERRA SLOPES COULD SEE A DOWNSLOPE
WIND EVENT THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WITH WINDS APPROACHING 60KTS
OVER THE EASTERN SLOPES AND INTO THE OWENS VALLEY WITH HIGHER WINDS
NEAR CANYON OPENINGS. EASTERLY WINDS UP TO 10KTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER
THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE OWENS VALLEY DURING THIS TIME ALONG WITH
THE FORMATION OF ROTOR CLOUDS AND TURBULENT CONDITIONS.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...STRONG NORTH WINDS AND VERY LOW HUMIDITY ARE
EXPECTED IN THE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY ON FRIDAY. A FIRE WEATHER
WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED.
&&
.VEF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NV...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 AM PST THURSDAY
FOR NVZ014.
FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING
FOR NVZ466.
AZ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING
FOR AZZ101.
CA...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 AM PST THURSDAY
FOR CAZ519>521.
FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING
FOR CAZ229.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 PM PST THIS EVENING
FOR CAZ523.
&&
UPDATE...JENSEN
PREV DISCUSSION...MORGAN/SALMEN
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGASHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV 237 AM PST WED FEB 29 2012 CAZ519>521-NVZ014-010800- EASTERN SIERRA SLOPES-OWENS VALLEY-WHITE MOUNTAINS OF INYO COUNTY- ESMERALDA AND CENTRAL NYE COUNTY- 237 AM PST WED FEB 29 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VERY STRONG DOWNSLOPE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT ON THE EASTERN SIERRA SLOPES EXTENDING INTO THE OWENS VALLEY...AS WELL AS ON THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS EXTENDING INTO THE FISH LAKE VALLEY. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY BREEZY TO LOCALLY WINDY CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THURSDAY...THEN HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT LIKELY FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY. ANOTHER ROUND OF WINDS IS POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER REPORTS OF WIND WILL BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT. CAZ523-010800- WESTERN MOJAVE DESERT- 237 AM PST WED FEB 29 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT GUSTY WEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT LIKELY FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...THEN ANOTHER ROUND OF WINDS IS POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER REPORTS OF WIND WOULD BE APPRECIATED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AZZ002-036-CAZ527-NVZ021-010800- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA- SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY-UPPER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY- 237 AM PST WED FEB 29 2012 /337 AM MST WED FEB 29 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ARIZONA...CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT LIKELY THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY STRONG NORTH WINDS AND VERY DRY AIR WILL ARRIVE ON FRIDAY...AND A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT. GUSTY NORTH WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND...THEN HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT LIKELY MONDAY AND TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TODAY. HOWEVER...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ001-003-CAZ522-524>526-NVZ015>020-022-010800- NORTHWEST PLATEAU-NORTHWEST DESERTS-DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK- EASTERN MOJAVE DESERT-MORONGO BASIN-CADIZ BASIN-LINCOLN COUNTY- NORTHEAST CLARK COUNTY-WESTERN CLARK AND SOUTHERN NYE COUNTY- SHEEP RANGE-SPRING MOUNTAINS-LAS VEGAS VALLEY- SOUTHERN CLARK COUNTY- 237 AM PST WED FEB 29 2012 /337 AM MST WED FEB 29 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ARIZONA...CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT LIKELY THROUGH TONIGHT. BREEZY SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE IN THE AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY BREEZY TO WINDY PERIODS ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...THEN HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT LIKELY SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. ANOTHER ROUND OF WINDS IS POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TODAY. HOWEVER...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MORGAN
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Highway 395 was closed in the Owens Valley due to poor visibility in blowing dust. The peak measured gust was 79 mph 4 miles NW of Independence.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in California, February 2012
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: 360024.