A moist flow of air off the Pacific Ocean overrunning cold air trapped in the valleys of northern Elko county produced heavy snowfall. Wild Horse Reservoir reported 15 inches of snow and Owyhee 11 inches.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 moist flow of air off the Pacific Ocean overrunning cold air trapped in the valleys of northern Elko county produced heavy snowfall. Wild Horse Reservoir reported 15 inches of snow and Owyhee 11 inches.
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 Jan 17, 3:00 PM PST, 13 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV 300 PM PST TUE JAN 17 2012 .SYNOPSIS...WARMER AIR WILL ARRIVE ACROSS NEVADA TONIGHT WITH THICKENING CLOUDS AND SNOW DEVELOPING NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80. SNOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY ALL DAY WEDNESDAY WHERE SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. A LONG PERIOD OF UNSETTLED WEATHER...WITH PERIODS OF RAIN...SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS NEVADA WEDNESDAY THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. && .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. VERY ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN ABOUT TO BEGIN FOR NORTHERN NEVADA. MUCH NEEDED RAIN AND SNOW WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT DROUGHT RELIEF TO NORTHERN AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NEVADA OVER THE COMING DAYS. TONIGHT...MID/HIGH CLOUDS QUICKLY SPREADING INTO NEVADA IN ADVANCE OF VERY EXPANSIVE WARM CONVEYOR BELT APPROACHING FROM THE PACIFIC. STRONG WARM AIR ADVECTION WILL SPREAD OVER NORTHERN NEVADA THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH MILDER PACIFIC AIR OVERRUNNING THE COLD AIRMASS AT THE SURFACE. THIS PROCESS WILL PRODUCE THICKENING AND LOWERING CLOUDS OVERNIGHT AND THEREFORE MUCH MILDER TEMPERATURES COMPARED TO LAST NIGHT. SNOW EXPECTED TO BREAK OUT NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 AFTER MIDNIGHT...ON THE HIGHER TERRAIN FIRST AS THE ATMOSPHERE SATURATES. WEDNESDAY...STRONG WARM FRONT WILL ORGANIZE ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA AS THE WARMER PACIFIC AIR BEGINS PUSHING THE COLD SURFACE AIR TO THE EAST. INTENSE OVERRUNNING LIFT AND DYNAMICS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE WARM FRONT WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD SNOW ACROSS NE HUMBOLDT COUNTY...AND MUCH OF ELKO COUNTY WEDNESDAY MORNING. 12/18Z GFS FORECASTS SNOW TO BREAK OUT ACROSS WESTERN ELKO COUNTY AROUND SUNRISE WEDNESDAY MORNING AND THIS THINKING WAS FOLLOWED IN THE FORECAST. TRIED TO SPREAD SNOW INTO N/NE NEVADA FASTER THAN WHAT THE MODELS SUGGEST...MODELS ARE OFTEN TOO SLOW IN WARM AIR ADVECTION PRECIPITATION ONSET. AT ANY RATE...LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW EXPECTED FOR THE MORNING COMMUTE NEAR ELKO/SPRING CREEK. SNOW AMOUNTS FOR ZONE 032 /SW AND SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY/ WILL BE MODEST...ONE INCH OR LESS FOR MOST VALLEYS. WITH THE TIMING OF THE MORNING COMMUTE...IMPACT-BASED ADVISORIES OR SPECIAL STATEMENTS MAY BE NEEDED TO ADDRESS THIS AND WILL PASS ALONG CONCERNS TO EVENING/NIGHT SHIFTS. AIRMASS EXPECTED TO WARM ENOUGH BY AFTERNOON FOR SNOW TO CHANGE TO LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS ALONG WITH STRONG GUSTY SW WINDS. STILL EXPECT 700 MB WINDS TO REACH 50-80 KTS ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. MOST VALLEYS WILL BE PROTECTED FROM MOST OF THIS MOMENTUM IN A WARM AIR ADVECTION PATTERN. HOWEVER...WINDS WILL BECOME VERY INTENSE/DANGEROUS ABOVE 7000 FEET WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WITH GUSTS OVER 60 MPH LIKELY. IN ADDITION...LOCAL MODEL GUIDANCE STRONGLY SUGGESTS A SIGNIFICANT DOWNSLOPE WIND EVENT EAST OF THE RUBY MOUNTAINS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. CURRENT THINKING IS HIGH WIND WARNING CRITERIA MAY BE REACHED NEAR RUBY VALLEY AND RUBY LAKE...WILL DEFER TO TONIGHT'S SHIFTS TO ISSUE THIS WIND HEADLINE. ALL MODELS CONTINUE TO FOCUS INTENSE LIFT AND HEAVY SNOW GENERATION ACROSS NORTHERN/NE ELKO COUNTY WEDNESDAY ALONG THE SLOWLY RETREATING WARM FRONT. HAVE ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW FOR ZONE 031 STARTING AT 4 AM WEDNESDAY...CONTINUING THROUGH 7 PM THURSDAY. HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL COMBINE WITH STRONG SW WINDS TO MAKE TRAVEL VERY DIFFICULT ACROSS NE ELKO COUNTY WEDNESDAY...INCLUDING THE JARBIDGE MOUNTAINS AND U.S. HIGHWAY 93. TRAVEL PLANS FROM NE NEVADA TO TWIN FALLS WILL BE AFFECTED. HAVE ALSO ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE RUBY MOUNTAINS WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...AS PACIFIC MOISTURE WILL BE PRODUCING HEAVY SNOW IN THE RUBIES FOR SOME TIME TO COME. THURSDAY/FRIDAY...CONTINUED CLOUDY AND UNSETTLED WITH VALLEY RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOWERS. THURSDAY...MILD PACIFIC AIRMASS WILL KEEP SNOW LEVELS ELEVATED ABOVE MOST VALLEY FLOORS. NUMEROUS SHORTWAVES IN THE ENERGETIC PACIFIC JET WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO TIME MUCH IN ADVANCE...JUST BROADBRUSHED RAIN/SNOW CHANCES ACROSS NORTHERN NEVADA /MAINLY NORTH OF U.S. HIGHWAY 50/ ON THURSDAY WITH VALLEY HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE 40S. MODELS CONTINUE TO HINT THAT VALLEY RAIN/MOUNTAIN SNOW WILL EXPAND SOUTHWARD DEEPER INTO NYE/WHITE PINE COUNTIES ON FRIDAY...AND FOLLOWED THIS TREND IN THE GRIDS. TURNER .LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY. UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN DURING THIS PERIOD ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN...WITH PROGRESSIVE ZONAL FLOW BRINGING PERIODS OF RAIN AND SNOW. FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS ABOVE AVG FOR THE GENERAL 500MB PATTERN...BUT MINOR DIFFERENCES IN THE TIMING OF 500MB SHORTWAVES BETWEEN THE GFS/ECWMF/GEM LEAD TO BELOW AVG CONFIDENCE IN THE SENSIBLE WEATHER. PRECIP AND TEMPS WILL RUN ABOVE AVG THIS PERIOD. FRIDAY EVENING WEAK RIDGING WILL BREAK DOWN AHEAD OF THE FIRST OF MANY 500MB SHORTWAVE TROUGHS. SNOWLEVELS LOOK QUITE HIGH TO BEGIN THE PERIOD BEFORE FALLING BACK TOWARDS THE VALLEY FLOORS BY SATURDAY MORNING. NO LARGE IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED AT THIS TIME WITH THIS FIRST WAVE DUE TO HIGH SNOWLEVELS. SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT THERE WILL BE A BRIEF BREAK IN THE ACTION...THUS HAVE LOWERED POPS A BIT...ESPECIALLY IN THE VALLEYS. THE ECWMF/GFS/GEM ARE ALL HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A MORE AMPLIFIED AND SIGNIFICANT SHORTWAVE SOMETIME ON SUNDAY. STILL LARGE SPREAD AND TIMING ISSUES WITH THIS WAVE...BUT LOOKS LIKE THE BEST CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD SNOW ACROSS THE CWA AT THIS TIME...WITH A WEAK TONOPAH LOW DEVELOPING AND DEEP MOISTURE. SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS AND COLDER WEATHER EXPECTED ON MONDAY WITH SNOW LEVELS DOWN TO THE VALLEY FLOORS...AS WEAK PERTURBATIONS AND ONSHORE FLOW CONTINUES. POSSIBLY A BREAK IN THE ACTION BY TUESDAY NEXT WEEK...BUT TOO EARLY TO TELL. OVERALL LOOKS LIKE A WET PATTERN WITH SNOW LEVELS ON A ROLLER COASTER RIDE. && .AVIATION...MVFR CEILINGS ARE EXPECTED AT KWMC/KEKO AFTER 12Z THIS MORNING...WITH LIGHT SNOW AND DECREASED VISIBILITY POSSIBLE AT KEKO FROM 12-18Z...AS OVERRUNNING SNOW DEVELOPS ACROSS NORTHERN NV. PROBABILITY OF IFR CONDITIONS AT KEKO IS GREATEST FROM 12-18Z...WITH A 70% CHANCE OF OCCURRING. FURTHER SOUTH ACROSS CENTRAL NV TERMINALS VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. ANOTHER POSSIBLE HAZARD WEDNESDAY MORNING WILL BE LLWS AS A VERY STRONG 700MB JET OF 65KTS MOVES OVER NORTHERN NV. LOW LEVEL INVERSIONS AT KWMC/KEKO COULD LEAD TO STRONG SHEAR...THIS MIGHT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE 06Z TAF PACKAGE. && .FIRE WEATHER...A VERY STRONG LOW LEVEL JET WILL MOVE ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN ON WEDNESDAY BRINGING STRONG WINDS TO THE REGION. NO FIRE WEATHER ISSUES ARE EXPECTED NORTH OF I-80 AS SNOW WILL BE FALLING. FURTHER SOUTH ACROSS CENTRAL NEVADA...ESPECIALLY FWZ 455/457...MID-SLOPE WINDS WILL GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH. IN ADDITION RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES COULD DROP INTO THE UPPER TEENS AND LOW 20S. THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG BUT MOISTURE WILL PUSH FURTHER SOUTH INTO THE STATE...ALLOWING FOR RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO INCREASE. && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 AM TO 7 PM PST WEDNESDAY FOR NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 AM WEDNESDAY TO 4 AM PST FRIDAY FOR RUBY MOUNTAINS/EAST HUMBOLDT RANGE. && 99/95/95/95
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV 253 PM PST TUE JAN 17 2012 NVZ031-034-182300- NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY-RUBY MOUNTAINS/EAST HUMBOLDT RANGE- 253 PM PST TUE JAN 17 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS AREA. DEEP MOISTURE AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE TO BRING MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WITH REDUCTIONS TO VISIBILITIES ACROSS THE WARNING AREA. FOR NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY...4 TO 8 INCHES IN THE VALLEYS WITH 12 TO 18 INCHES IN THE MOUNTAINS WILL OCCUR THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. MEANWHILE...ONE TO TWO FEET WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS TO THREE FEET IS EXPECTED IN THE RUBY MOUNTAINS FOR THE DURATION OF THE WARNING. STRONG WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER GUSTS OF 50 MPH. THIS WILL HELP TO LIMIT VISIBILITIES TO ONE-HALF MILE OR LESS IN NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY...AND ALONG WITH SNOW COVERED ROADWAYS...WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. TRAVEL IN THE RUBY MOUNTAINS WILL BE DIFFICULT WITH WIND SPEEDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND HIGHER. AS A RESULT...OUTDOOR RECREATIONALISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION. SNOW WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF IN NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY WEDNESDAY NIGHT...WITH SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUING IN THE RUBIES THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. THE MOIST FLOW AND UNSETTLED WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OR YOUR FAVORITE WEATHER OUTLET FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT WEATHER PHENOMENA ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE. NVZ032-033-036-182300- SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY- EXTREME EASTERN ELKO COUNTY- NORTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND NORTHERN EUREKA COUNTY- 253 PM PST TUE JAN 17 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NEVADA AND NORTHEAST NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP WEDNESDAY MORNING AS A STORM SYSTEM IMPACTS THE REGION. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE-HALF INCH OR LESS IS EXPECTED...BUT WINDWARD FACING SLOPES MAY SEE UP ONE INCH. BREEZY TO WINDY SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WITH LOCALLY HIGHER GUSTS TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. THE MOIST FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM ACROSS THE AREA WITH CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION THURSDAY...INCREASING ON FRIDAY. THE MOIST FLOW AND UNSETTLED WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OR YOUR FAVORITE WEATHER OUTLET FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT WEATHER PHENOMENA ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE. NVZ013-035-037-182300- NORTHERN NYE COUNTY-WHITE PINE COUNTY- SOUTHERN LANDER COUNTY AND SOUTHERN EUREKA COUNTY- 253 PM PST TUE JAN 17 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL NEVADA...NORTH CENTRAL NEVADA AND SOUTH CENTRAL NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. BREEZY TO WINDY SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AS A STORM SYSTEM PASSES TO THE NORTH. PRECIPITATION WILL REMAIN LIMITED TO THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF NORTHERN NEVADA...WITH MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED OVER CENTRAL NEVADA. THE MOIST FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM ACROSS THE AREA WITH CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION THURSDAY...INCREASING ON FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT WEATHER PHENOMENA ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE. NVZ030-182300- HUMBOLDT COUNTY- 253 PM PST TUE JAN 17 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE NORTHERN THIRD OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY WITH ABOUT ONE TO TWO INCHES OF ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE ALONG THE BORDER WITH IDAHO AND OREGON. FURTHER SOUTH...MOISTURE WILL BE LIMITED IN THE VALLEYS WITH A DUSTING TO MAYBE ONE-HALF INCH IN WINNEMUCCA. HIGHER ACCUMULATIONS OF TWO TO FOUR INCHES WILL OCCUR IN THE MOUNTAIN AREAS. BREEZY TO WINDY SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH WILL BE COMMON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WITH LOCALLY HIGHER GUSTS TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. THE MOIST FLOW AND UNSETTLED WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OR YOUR FAVORITE WEATHER OUTLET FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION. .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.
1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Pacific moisture brought heavy snow to portions of northern Elko County. Wild Horse Reservoir reported 15 inches of snow, Owyhee 11 inches, and 7 inches in Charleston.
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, January 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: 354877.