Weak low pressure dropped into northern California on the 25th, aiding the development of scattered thunderstorms with strong winds and small hail.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
Weak low pressure dropped into northern California on the 25th, aiding the development of scattered thunderstorms with strong winds and small hail.
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 May 25, 1:15 PM PST, 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV 215 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH WILL KEEP ENOUGH INSTABILITY AROUND FOR MAINLY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH DECREASING COVERAGE THURSDAY. WARMER AND DRIER CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP BY THIS WEEKEND AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA. && .SHORT TERM... SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS SHORTWAVE DROPPING SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE PACNW INTO NORTHERN CA-NORTHERN NV. CONVECTION WAS FIRING ALONG LASSEN COUNTY CONVERGENCE AS WELL AS NORTHERN SIERRA WITH MORE ISOLATED ACTIVITY DEVELOPING ELSEWHERE. LARGE SCALE FORCING AND MID LEVEL INSTABILITY ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AS SHORTWAVE APPROACHES. STORMS WERE ALREADY QUITE STRONG OVER LASSEN AND NORTHERN WASHOE COUNTIES. ADDITIONAL FORCING ALONG THE SIERRA FRONT (EAST OF RENO- CARSON CITY) IS ALSO EXPECTED AS CONVERGENCE INCREASES ALONG THE AFTERNOON ZEPHYR. STORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING, FOCUSING MORE ACROSS THE BASIN AND RANGE AS SHORTWAVE MOVES EAST. SOME MODELS KEEP SHOWERS GOING THERE INTO THE EARLY MORNING TUESDAY. THE MAIN THREATS THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. OTHERWISE, INSTABILITY WILL HANG AROUND TUE-WED AND THEN FINALLY BEGIN TO DRY OUT THURSDAY AS TROUGH SLIDES EAST IN ADVANCE OF RIDGE BUILDING INTO THE WEST COAST. WE MAINTAINED A SLIGHT CHANCE MOST AREAS TUE-WED AND THE SIERRA OF MONO COUNTY THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO WARM UP A WELL WITH READINGS RETURNING TO THE 70S SIERRA AND 80S WESTERN NV BY THURSDAY. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY... UPPER RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER THE REGION THROUGH SATURDAY WITH MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES. READINGS WILL PUSH 90 DEGREES FOR THE BASIN AND RANGE WITH MID 70S AND 80S ELSEWHERE. THERE WILL STILL BE SOME MOISTURE TRAPPED UNDERNEATH THE RIDGE WHICH WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED FOR POSSIBLE ISOLATED CONVECTION IN THE SIERRA OF MONO COUNTY. HOWEVER, MITIGATING FACTORS INCLUDE WARM AIR ALOFT AND LIMITED MID LEVEL INSTABILITY. FOR NOW THE FORECAST WILL REMAIN DRY WITH ONLY SOME GHOST POPS FOR THE SIERRA. FOR SUN-MON...RIDGE AXIS WILL SLIDE EAST OF AREA AS TROUGH APPROACHES THE WEST COAST SUN AND MOVES THROUGH THE AREA MON. MOST OF THE MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL BE NORTH OF AREA ALTHOUGH SOME MODELS SHOW LIGHT QPF ACROSS FAR NORTHERN CA/NV, INCREASING WINDS WILL PROBABLY BE THE BIGGEST THREATS. UPPER JET MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN CA-NV LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY(INCREASING WINDS ALOFT) AND TIGHTENING PRESSURE/THERMAL GRADIENTS WILL COMBINE TO PUSH GUSTS CLOSE TO 40 MPH BASED ON CURRENT MODEL DATA. FORECAST CONFIDENCE OVERALL DURING THIS PERIOD IS MEDIUM. HOHMANN .AVIATION... THUNDERSTORMS PUSHING OFF THE TAHOE BASIN THIS AFTERNOON WILL AFFECT KRNO/KCXP (STRONGEST STORMS EAST OF KRNO/KCXP) THROUGH 25/23Z AND THEN SHIFT EAST OF THE AREA INTO THE BASIN AND RANGE FOR THIS EVENING. ISOLATED COVERAGE AROUND KNFL/KLOL WILL INCREASE THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING AS STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST. THE ATMOSPHERE IS MOIST AND THUS WIND GUSTS WILL BE LIMITED AND GENERALLY UNDER 40KT. SOME SMALL HAIL WILL ALSO OCCUR WITH STRONGER STORMS ALTHOUGH VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE THE BIGGEST POTENTIAL. FOR KTVL/KTRK/KMMH...THE STORM THREAT WILL BE MOVING OUT OF THESE AREAS BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. HOHMANN && .REV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NV...NONE. CA...NONE. && FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT... HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO (ALL LOWER CASE)
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
142 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015
CAZ073-252145-
MONO CA-
142 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH CHALFANT VALLEY...
AT 140 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES SOUTH OF BENTON HOT
SPRINGS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH DOWN THE CHALFANT VALLEY.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CHALFANT VALLEY AND WHITE MOUNTAIN PEAK.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
HEAVY RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. EXPECT PONDING OF WATER
ON ROADWAYS. IN AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN...MINOR ROCK SLIDES ARE
POSSIBLE. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF
ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS.
&&
LAT...LON 3760 11860 3776 11849 3766 11821 3746 11835
3746 11837
TIME...MOT...LOC 2040Z 298DEG 8KT 3765 11847
MBSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV 142 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015 NVZ003-004-252130- GREATER RENO-CARSON CITY-MINDEN AREA NV- WESTERN NEVADA BASIN AND RANGE INCLUDING PYRAMID LAKE NV- 142 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING TOWARD PYRAMID LAKE... AT 140 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF HALLELUJAH JUNCTION...OR 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DOYLE...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM ALONG WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... PYRAMID LAKE...VIRGINIA PEAK...NIXON...SUTCLIFFE...LEMMON VALLEY-GOLDEN VALLEY...SPANISH SPRINGS AND DOGSKIN MOUNTAIN. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... IF ON OR NEAR PYRAMID LAKE...GET OUT OF THE WATER AND MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE OUT TO 15 MILES FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER NOW. DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A THUNDERSTORM. HEAVY RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. IN AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN...MINOR ROCK SLIDES ARE POSSIBLE. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS. && LAT...LON 3971 11998 4002 11999 4012 11938 3964 11934 TIME...MOT...LOC 2040Z 261DEG 16KT 3989 11986
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV 146 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015 CAZ071-NVZ003>005-252115- LASSEN-EASTERN PLUMAS-EASTERN SIERRA COUNTIES CA-GREATER RENO- CARSON CITY-MINDEN AREA NV- WESTERN NEVADA BASIN AND RANGE INCLUDING PYRAMID LAKE NV- NORTHERN WASHOE COUNTY NV- 146 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM NORTH OF HERLONG MOVING EAST... AT 145 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF HERLONG...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM AND MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... THE NEEDLE ROCKS AND SAND PASS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. HEAVY RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. IN AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN...MINOR ROCK SLIDES ARE POSSIBLE. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS. && LAT...LON 4013 12010 4031 12010 4037 11956 4007 11954 TIME...MOT...LOC 2045Z 270DEG 26KT 4022 12001
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV 157 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015 NVZ001-003-004-252200- MINERAL AND SOUTHERN LYON COUNTIES NV-GREATER RENO-CARSON CITY- MINDEN AREA NV- WESTERN NEVADA BASIN AND RANGE INCLUDING PYRAMID LAKE NV- 157 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL LYON COUNTY... AT 154 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 11 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DAYTON...OR 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF YERINGTON...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...HIGHWAY 95 IN NORTHERN MASON VALLEY... YERINGTON...WABUSKA...RAWE PEAK AND YERINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... HEAVY RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. IN AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN...MINOR ROCK SLIDES ARE POSSIBLE. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS. && LAT...LON 3909 11954 3924 11949 3925 11890 3895 11906 TIME...MOT...LOC 2054Z 272DEG 17KT 3915 11941 MB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV 202 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015 CAZ071-NVZ003-005-252145- LASSEN-EASTERN PLUMAS-EASTERN SIERRA COUNTIES CA-GREATER RENO- CARSON CITY-MINDEN AREA NV-NORTHERN WASHOE COUNTY NV- 202 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR FRENCHMAN LAKE... AT 201 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER FRENCHMAN LAKE...OR 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DOYLE...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM ALONG WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... DOYLE...FRENCHMAN LAKE...CHILCOOT-VINTON...BIG COVE CAMPGROUND... FRENCHMAN CAMPGROUND...SPRING CREEK CAMPGROUND AND CHILCOOT CAMPGROUND. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... IF ON OR NEAR FRENCHMAN LAKE...GET OUT OF THE WATER AND MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE OUT TO 15 MILES FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER NOW. DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A THUNDERSTORM. && LAT...LON 3984 12033 4004 12031 4008 11999 3980 12000 TIME...MOT...LOC 2101Z 272DEG 12KT 3994 12021
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV 224 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015 CAZ071-252200- LASSEN-EASTERN PLUMAS-EASTERN SIERRA COUNTIES CA- 224 PM PDT MON MAY 25 2015 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR LAKE DAVIS... AT 223 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER LAKE DAVIS...OR 9 MILES NORTH OF BLAIRSDEN...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... BECKWOURTH...LAKE DAVIS...GRIZZLY CAMPGROUND...DELLEKER...MOHAWK VISTA...PORTOLA...BECKWOURTH-NERVINO AIRPORT...LIGHTNING TREE CAMPGROUND AND GRASSHOPPER FLAT CAMPGROUND. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... IF ON OR NEAR LAKE DAVIS...GET OUT OF THE WATER AND MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE OUT TO 15 MILES FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER NOW. DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A THUNDERSTORM. && LAT...LON 3982 12062 3999 12066 4004 12031 3980 12028 TIME...MOT...LOC 2123Z 261DEG 8KT 3991 12056
The Reno radar (KRGX), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:38 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Peak wind measured between 1245 and 1345PST, with the time of the gust estimated from radar.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in California, May 2015
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: 581257.