A strong winter storm brought widespread heavy snow to northern Nevada. Many valley locations reported between 6 and 10 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 widespread heavy snow to northern Nevada. Many valley locations reported between 6 and 10 inches of snow.
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 25, 10:02 AM PST, 3 hours 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV 1002 AM PST TUE DEC 25 2012 .SYNOPSIS...SNOW WILL BEGIN SPREADING INTO HUMBOLDT COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON. A STRONG WINTER STORM PROMISES TO BRING WIDESPREAD ACCUMULATING SNOW TO NEVADA TONIGHT...WEDNESDAY...AND INTO THURSDAY. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO ADVERSELY AFFECT HOLIDAY TRAVEL PLANS. SUNNY AND DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO RETURN ON FRIDAY. && .UPDATE...SATELLITE PICS SHOW A POTENT SHORT WAVE OFF THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST THIS MORNING WITH AN IMPRESSIVE COLD FRONT APPROACHING THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST. THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEVADA TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. 12Z NAM/GFS CONTINUED WETTER 00Z MODEL TREND ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA SHOWING A LARGE AREA OF 0.4 TO 0.6 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION DURING THE 24 HOUR PERIOD FROM 4 PM TODAY TO 4 PM WEDNESDAY. THIS LOOKS REASONABLE DUE TO THE STRENGTH OF THE SYSTEM AS WELL AS WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWING A GOOD SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE FETCH. SHOULD SEE 4 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW FOR THE VALLEYS OF NORTHERN NEVADA AND OVER A FOOT IN THE MOUNTAINS BEFORE THIS SYSTEM MOVES OUT OF THE AREA. THIS WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON HOLIDAY TRAVELERS. THEREFORE HAVE UPGRADED ADVISORIES TO WARNINGS ACROSS MOST OF NORTHERN NEVADA. CEC && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED AT 250 AM / SYNOPSIS...INCREASING CLOUDS EXPECTED ON CHRISTMAS DAY. SNOW WILL BEGIN SPREADING INTO HUMBOLDT COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON. A STRONG WINTER STORM PROMISES TO BRING WIDESPREAD ACCUMULATING SNOW TO NEVADA TONIGHT...WEDNESDAY...AND INTO THURSDAY. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO ADVERSELY AFFECT HOLIDAY TRAVEL PLANS. SUNNY AND DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO RETURN ON FRIDAY. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY. BITTERLY COLD FOR SANTA ACROSS EASTERN NEVADA THIS MORNING...WITH TEMPERATURES AS OF 2 AM A FEW DEGREES EITHER SIDE OF ZERO. EASILY THE COLDEST NIGHT SO FOR THIS WINTER...WITH THE COLD AIR AND SNOW PACK ACTUALLY SHOWING UP ON IR SATELLITE IMAGERY THIS MORNING. SKIES HAVE CLEARED NICELY AS EXPECTED...WITH CIRRUS BEGINNING TO APPROACH FROM THE WEST. WITH THE FRESH SNOW PACK SOME AREAS OF FREEZING FOG MAY STILL DEVELOP THIS MORNING...PUTTING RUDOLPH'S RED NOSE TO GOOD USE. MAJOR PACIFIC WINTER STORM VERY IMPRESSIVE ON SATELLITE THIS MORNING APPROACHING THE WEST COAST. THE STAGE IS SET FOR THIS SYSTEM TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD ACCUMULATING SNOW FOR ALL OF NEVADA BEGINNING IN NW NEVADA AS SOON AS THIS AFTERNOON...AND THEN FOR EVERYBODY ELSE BEGINNING THIS EVENING. THE CONSENSUS OF THE LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THE INHERITED WINTER WEATHER HEADLINES ARE IN GOOD SHAPE...REGARDING TIMING AND PLACEMENT. GIVEN A VERY WET 00Z NAM MODEL RUN...AND THE IMPRESSIVE SATELLITE APPEARANCE DID INCREASE THE EXPECTED SNOW AMOUNTS FOR NORTHERN NEVADA. THE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY WILL NOW CALL FOR 6-12 INCHES IN THE VALLEYS WITH UP TO 2 FEET IN THE MOUNTAINS. ALONG THE I-80 CORRIDOR...INCLUDING WINNEMUCCA/BATTLE MOUNTAIN/ELKO AND SPRING CREEK/WELLS...INCREASED SNOW AMOUNTS IN THE ADVISORY AREA TO 4-7 INCHES...WITH OVER ONE FOOT LIKELY IN THE HIGHEST MOUNTAINS SUCH AS THE RUBIES. GFS/NAM BOTH ATTEMPT TO PLACE THEIR MAXIMUM FRONTOGENETIC BANDS OF SNOW ALONG THIS CORRIDOR LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. IN FACT...00Z NAM WOULD ARGUE THAT AN UPGRADE TO A WINTER STORM WARNING WOULD BE JUSTIFIED FOR THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR. ELECTED TO KEEP THE ADVISORY GOING FOR NOW...BUT WILL ADVISE NEXT SHIFT TO CONSIDER AN UPGRADE IF THE MAXIMUM SNOWFALL RATES CONTINUE TO LINE UP ALONG THE INTERSTATE. LATEST 06Z GFS CONTINUES TO SUGGEST THAT UPWARDS OF 6 INCHES OF SNOW WILL BE TALLIED NEAR ELKO AND SPRING CREEK BY EVENT'S END ON THURSDAY FLIRTING WITH WARNING CRITERIA. JUST ENHANCED THE AMOUNTS AND WORDING OF THE ADVISORY PRODUCT FOR THESE AREAS FOR NOW. HOLIDAY TRAVELERS WILL BE ADVERSELY IMPACTED THE MORNING AFTER CHRISTMAS. MAINTAINED A MORE GENERIC ADVISORY FOR VALLEY ACCUMULATIONS OF 2-4 INCHES FOR CENTRAL NEVADA. BY LATE WEDNESDAY...WIDESPREAD SNOW WILL TRANSITION TO A MORE SHOWERY NATURE AS STRONG COLD 540 DM TROUGH SETTLES OVER NEVADA. INSTABILITY UNDER THE COLD AIR ALOFT...AND REINFORCING SHORTWAVE ENERGY DIGGING DOWN THE BACKSIDE OF THE TROUGH...WILL ENCOURAGE WIDESPREAD SNOW SHOWER PRODUCTION INTO THURSDAY. AM CONCERNED IN PARTICULAR THAT NW FACING SLOPES WILL CONTINUE TO ACCUMULATE SNOW THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND WELL INTO THURSDAY...MAKING FOR A PROLONGED SNOW EVENT WITH MAJOR TRAVEL IMPLICATIONS. FUTURE SHIFTS WILL BE TASKED WITH DETERMINING IMPACTS AND IF AN UPGRADE TO A WARNING IS NECESSARY FOR ANY PARTICULAR ZONES. AT ANY RATE...IT IS EMPHASIZED THAT ROAD CONDITIONS WILL BE POOR ACROSS MUCH OF NEVADA TONIGHT...THROUGH WEDNESDAY...INTO THURSDAY AND HOLIDAY TRAVELERS WILL BE IMPACTED. TURNER LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH ABOUT SUNDAY WITH THE GFS HOLDING A SKINNY YET LARGE AMPLITUDE PROGRESSIVE RIDGE OVER THE INTERIOR WEST AND GREAT BASIN. THE EC'S RIDGE IS BROADER BUT STILL PROGRESSIVE. BOTH MODELS SHOW SOME SLIGHT CHANCE PRECIP THROUGH FRIDAY BUT THIS DIMINISHES QUICKLY. BOTH MODELS ALSO SHOW COLD NORTHERLY FLOW INTO THE REGION INTO THE WEEKEND. BUT THIS IS WHERE THEY START TO DIFFER WITH THE GFS CREATING A CLOSED LOW OVER THE SOUTHWEST WHICH DEVELOPS NORTHEAST FLOW INTO THE REGION...AND THE EC A NORTHEAST-SOUTHWEST ORIENTED TROUGH OVER THE AREA...WITH NORTH TO NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. AFTER SUNDAY...GREAT DIFFERENCES PRECLUDE ANY REAL CONFIDENCE EITHER WAY. LEFT WELL ENOUGH ALONE FROM SUNDAY ONWARD. POPS WILL BE ON THE LOW SIDE THROUGH THE EX TRENDED PERIOD AND THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WILL LIKELY BE TEMPS. WITH AMPLE SNOW COVER OVER THE REGION AT THIS TIME...AND WITH LOW TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD...DO NOT EXPECT MUCH MELTING...AND LOTS OF RADIATION AT NIGHT WITH ENOUGH DAYTIME CLOUDS TO INHIBIT MUCH INSOLATION AND WARMING. HOWEVER...THERE IS ALWAYS A CAVEAT ISN'T THERE?...EXPECT SOME SUBLIMATION OF THE SNOWPACK WHICH WILL ENABLE NIGHT TIME TEMPS TO WARM A FEW DEGREES OVER THE PERIOD...BUT DAY TIME HIGHS WILL STILL BE AT OR NEAR FREEZING OR LOWER THROUGH THE PERIOD. OVERALL...JUST A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL TEMPS FOR THE SEASON. BB AVIATION...DRY CONDITIONS TO START THE TAF PERIOD AT KWMC KEKO KELY AND KTPH. CLOUDS WILL INCREASE AND LOWER FROM NW TO SE TODAY...WITH SNOW SHOWERS RETURNING TO KWMC AROUND NOON...KEKO LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON...AND KELY AND KTPH TUESDAY EVENING...BUT EXPECTING VFR THROUGH PERIOD. SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS AT ALL TAF SITES...WITH SOME MINOR GUSTS AT KELY AND KTPH. BB && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM PST THURSDAY FOR NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST THURSDAY FOR HUMBOLDT COUNTY. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM PST THURSDAY FOR NORTHEASTERN NYE COUNTY...SOUTHEASTERN ELKO COUNTY...WHITE PINE COUNTY. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM PST THURSDAY FOR NORTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND NORTHERN EUREKA COUNTY... RUBY MOUNTAINS/EAST HUMBOLDT RANGE...SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY... SOUTHWESTERN ELKO COUNTY. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM PST THURSDAY FOR NORTHWESTERN NYE COUNTY...SOUTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND SOUTHERN EUREKA COUNTY. && 91/99/98
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV 942 AM PST TUE DEC 25 2012 NVZ030-031-033>041-261800- HUMBOLDT COUNTY-NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY-SOUTHEASTERN ELKO COUNTY- RUBY MOUNTAINS/EAST HUMBOLDT RANGE-WHITE PINE COUNTY- NORTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND NORTHERN EUREKA COUNTY- SOUTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND SOUTHERN EUREKA COUNTY- SOUTHWESTERN ELKO COUNTY-SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY- NORTHWESTERN NYE COUNTY-NORTHEASTERN NYE COUNTY- 942 AM PST TUE DEC 25 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL NEVADA...NORTH CENTRAL NEVADA...NORTHEAST NEVADA...NORTHWEST NEVADA AND SOUTH CENTRAL NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A STRONG WINTER STORM WILL BEGIN TO SPREAD SNOW INTO NORTHWEST NEVADA THIS AFTERNOON. SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE REST OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEVADA TONIGHT WITH SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL EXPECTED TO BEGIN. VALLEYS WILL GENERALLY SEE 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA. WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN POSTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. A STRONG WINTER STORM WILL BRING AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF SNOWFALL TO NEVADA THROUGH THURSDAY. VALLEYS WILL GENERALLY SEE 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA. WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN POSTED. .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 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
A strong winter storm brought heavy snow to Humboldt county. In Winnemucca between 8 and 9 inches of snow was reported. In Denio 8 inches of snow fell.
A winter storm brought 6 to 7 inches of snow to the valleys. Observers in Battle Mountain reported 6 to 7 inches of snow.
A winter storm brought 6 to 8 inches of snow to the valleys and over a foot to the mountains. Some reports were: Charleston 9 inches, Montello 7 inches, and Tuscarora 6 inches.
A winter storm dumped from 6 to 11 inches of snow. Lamoille received 11 inches, Spring Creek 10 inches, the Elko NWS office had 8 inches, and Ryndon 6 inches.
A spotter in Clover Valley reported 8 inches of snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, December 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: 418015, 418025, 418024, 418023, 418026.