Low pressure dropped from the northeast Pacific into Nevada on the 13th, bringing high winds to the western Great Basin along with heavy snow in the Carson Range.
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.
Low pressure dropped from the northeast Pacific into Nevada on the 13th, bringing high winds to the western Great Basin along with heavy snow in the Carson Range.
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 Dec 13, 3:08 AM PST, 2 hours 52 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
308 AM PST SUN DEC 13 2015
.SYNOPSIS...
A FAST MOVING STORM WILL BRING HEAVY SNOWFALL NEAR THE SIERRA AND
STRONG WINDS TODAY, AND RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW LATER TODAY IN LOWER
ELEVATIONS. SIGNIFICANT TRAVEL IMPACTS AND DELAYS ARE EXPECTED
FOR THE SIERRA THROUGH TONIGHT, WITH SLICK ROADS ALSO POSSIBLE
TONIGHT IN WESTERN NEVADA. A DRYING TREND WILL FOLLOW WITH COLD
TEMPERATURES THROUGH MIDWEEK.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
WINTER STORM IS POISED TO BLAST QUICKLY THROUGH THE REGION TODAY.
THE UPDATES MADE SATURDAY EVENING TO UPGRADE PEAK WIND SPEEDS TO
WARNING CRITERIA FOR RENO-CARSON VICINITY AND ADVISORY CRITERIA
FOR WEST CENTRAL NV REMAIN INTACT, ALONG WITH ALL WINTER
HEADLINES.
A FEW FINAL CHANGES WERE MADE TO DELAY THE DROP IN SNOW LEVELS BY A
FEW HOURS ACROSS FAR WESTERN NV, WHICH WAS ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE
LATER TRANSITION TIME OF 4 PM BETWEEN THE WIND AND WINTER
HEADLINES AROUND RENO-CARSON CITY. WE ALSO MADE A MINOR REDUCTION
IN QPF/SNOWFALL TODAY BUT A SLIGHT INCREASE FOR THIS EVENING, WITH
LITTLE TO NO CHANGE IN THE OVERALL RAIN AND SNOW FORECAST. TRAVEL
CONDITIONS WILL WORSEN RAPIDLY ACROSS NORTHEAST CA AROUND DAYBREAK,
AROUND THE TAHOE BASIN AND NORTHWEST NV BY MID-LATE MORNING, AND
MONO COUNTY BY EARLY AFTERNOON. EXPECT LONG DELAYS AND POSSIBLE
HIGHWAY CLOSURES WITH 2-3 INCH PER HOUR SNOWFALL RATES COMBINING
WITH STRONG WINDS TO PRODUCE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS FOR ABOUT A 4-6
HOUR TIME FRAME THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.
FOR WESTERN NV, TODAY WILL LIKELY BE MORE OF A WIND EVENT THAN A
RAIN/SNOW EVENT, AS SHADOWING SHOULD PREVAIL UNTIL MID AFTERNOON.
THE DOWNSLOPE WIND ENHANCEMENT WILL ALSO LAST A LITTLE LONGER,
WHICH WAS THE MAIN REASON FOR UPGRADING FAR WESTERN NV TO A HIGH
WIND WARNING. AS THE COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH LATER TODAY, A
SHORT-LIVED BURST OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION IS PROBABLE FROM I-80
SOUTHWARD.
FOR THIS EVENING, WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE BEHIND THE COLD
FRONT WILL LEAD TO DEVELOPMENT OF STEADY LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW
ACROSS THE I-80 CORRIDOR. MOST GUIDANCE INDICATES ONLY A SLIGHT
WEAKENING OF THIS SNOW AREA OVERNIGHT AS IT MOVES SOUTH OF HIGHWAY
50. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NOT ISSUED ANY WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR
THE BASIN/RANGE SOUTH TO MINERAL COUNTY, UP TO AN INCH OF SNOW MAY
ACCUMULATE IN THESE AREAS OVERNIGHT, WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
POSSIBLE EAST OF HIGHWAY 95.
FOR MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY, COLD CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL WITH
HIGHS ONLY REACHING THE 20S NEAR THE SIERRA AND 30S FOR LOWER
ELEVATIONS. BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS WITH GUSTS 25-35 MPH WILL
ENHANCE THE CHILL EFFECT ON MONDAY. WINDS BECOME LIGHTER ON
TUESDAY, ALTHOUGH A PERIOD OF GUSTY NORTHEAST RIDGE WINDS IS
POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SIERRA MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING.
LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS ON MONDAY WILL WIND DOWN MONDAY NIGHT,
WITH MINIMAL ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS. TUESDAY IS EXPECTED TO BE
DRY WITH DECREASING CLOUDS, AS RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC
PUSHES SLIGHTLY EAST TOWARD THE CA COAST. MJD
.LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...
A DRY DAY IS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS LIKELY IN THE
30S FOR MOST COMMUNITIES IN THE EASTERN SIERRA AND WESTERN NV.
HOWEVER, LIGHT WINDS AND STOUT MORNING TEMPERATURE INVERSIONS MAY
BE SUFFICIENT FOR SOME COLDER VALLEYS TO WARM ONLY INTO THE MID OR
UPPER 20S. WED NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY, THE NEXT TROUGH MOVES SOUTH
INTO THE EAST PACIFIC WHILE RIDGING DEVELOPS OVER THE
INTERMOUNTAIN WEST. WARMING UNDER THE RIDGE SHOULD LEAD TO SNOW
LEVELS RISING FROM VALLEY FLOORS WEDNESDAY TO AROUND 6,000 FEET OR
HIGHER BY FRIDAY. AS THIS GRADUAL WARMING OCCURS, THERE WILL BE
CHANCES FOR LIGHT PRECIPITATION, MAINLY NORTH OF I-80. SNOW LEVELS
WILL BE A BIT SLOWER TO RISE WHERE PRECIPITATION DEVELOPS DUE TO
ISOTHERMAL PROFILES, MAINLY ACROSS THE SURPRISE VALLEY AND FAR
NORTHWEST NV. LIGHT SNOW IS POSSIBLE DOWN TO VALLEY FLOORS LATE
WED NIGHT INTO THURSDAY BEFORE SNOW LEVELS MAKE THEIR JUMP.
THE FORECAST CHALLENGE GOING INTO NEXT WEEKEND IS WHEN/IF THE EAST
PACIFIC TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO CA/NV. THE TREND IN THE MODELS
CONTINUES TO BE A SLOWER ARRIVAL OF THE TROUGH WITH A DRY DAY
SATURDAY, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE STILL A FEW FASTER SOLUTIONS. THE
FORECAST WAS TRENDED TOWARD THE SLOWER SOLUTION WHICH WOULD BRING A
COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA SUN-MON WITH POTENTIAL SNOW IMPACTS IN
THE SIERRA AND POSSIBLY FOOTHILL LOCATIONS. GIVEN A SPLIT TROUGH
SCENARIO AND SOUTHERN PIECE OF ENERGY BEING OUR PRIMARY WEATHER
MAKER, SNOWFALL WOULD FAVOR THE SIERRA FROM LAKE TAHOE SOUTHWARD. IN
ADDITION, WINDS WOULD NOT BE AS STRONG AS PREVIOUS STORM SYSTEMS.
CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOWER THAN MEDIUM FOR NEXT WEEKEND. JCM/HOHMANN
&&
.AVIATION...
WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING AS A SURFACE LOW DEEPENS AND DROPS
SOUTHEASTWARD INTO THE GREAT BASIN IN RESPONSE TO A STRONG STORM
SYSTEM MOVING INTO THE WEST COAST. GUSTS WERE ALREADY APPROACHING
70 KT AND WILL INCREASE TO 100 KT+ AT THEIR PEAK MIDDAY/EARLY
AFTERNOON. FOR VALLEY LOCATIONS, SOUTH-SOUTHWEST WINDS 25-35 KT
WITH GUSTS TO 45 KT WILL BE COMMON FOR A 5-7 HOUR PERIOD WITH A
SHORTER WINDOW OF INTENSE DOWNSLOPE WINDS POSSIBLE LATE MORNING
INTO EARLY AFTERNOON ALONG THE SIERRA FRONT WITH 40-50G60 KT AT
KRNO. BLOWING DUST WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY ACROSS THE BASIN AND
RANGE, POSSIBLE AFFECTING KLOL/KNFL. ONCE THE FRONT PASSES, WINDS
WILL TURN WEST-NORTHWEST AND DIMINISH TO 15-20G30 KT. FRONTAL
PASSAGE IS EXPECTED TO BE AROUND 13/22Z-14/00Z AT KRNO/KCXP AND
14/00Z-14/03Z FOR KLOL/KNFL. FOR SIERRA TAF SITES, WINDS SHOULD
DIMINISH ONCE THE SNOWFALL BEGINS THIS AFTERNOON (KTVL/KTRK) OR
EVENING (KMMH). LLWS AND TURBULENCE CAN BE EXPECTED AT ALL
TERMINALS TODAY.
SNOW WILL SPREAD SOUTH THROUGH THE NORTHERN SIERRA TODAY AND INTO
THE KMMH AREA EARLY THIS EVENING. NORTHERN SIERRA TERMINALS WILL SEE
A PERIOD OF HEAVY SNOWFALL FOR ABOUT SIX HOURS WITH 2-3 INCHES OF
SNOW FALLING EACH HOUR. FOR KMMH, MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL WILL BE
A SLIGHTLY SHORTER DURATION. SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE
EXPECTED WITH CLOSE TO 10 INCHES AT KTRK/KTVL AND 6 INCHES AT KMMH.
CIGS/VSBY WILL REMAIN BELOW ALL MINIMUMS FOR THE DURATION OF THE
SNOWFALL AND ONLY IMPROVE GRADUALLY TONIGHT AS SNOW SHOWERS AND
CLOUDS CONTINUE TO OBSCURE TERRAIN IN THE SIERRA.
FOR LOWER ELEVATIONS, THE FRONT WILL BE MOVING QUICKLY AND SNOW
LEVELS WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO FALL TO VALLEY FLOORS. SNOWFALL
ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MORE LIMITED, GENERALLY 1-3 INCHES ABOVE 4800
FEET AND AN INCH OR LESS BELOW 4800 FEET. CONDITIONS WILL DROP TO
MVFR/BRIEFLY IFR WITH MAIN SNOW BAND. HOHMANN
&&
.REV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NV...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING NVZ005.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING NVZ002.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM PST THIS EVENING
NVZ001-004.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON NVZ003.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 PM PST
THIS EVENING NVZ003.
CA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING CAZ071.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING CAZ070.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 PM PST
THIS EVENING CAZ073.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING CAZ072.
&&
FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO (ALL LOWER CASE)The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts between 58 and 67 mph were recorded on the north and northwest parts of Reno and in the Virginia Range on the morning of the 13th. Damage to a fence was reported in Reno-Stead.
Fourteen to 20 inches of snow fell in the northern portion of the Carson Range, with 8 to 11 inches farther south in the Carson Range. At lake level, 5 inches of snow fell in Glenbrook.
Sustained winds of 40-50 mph with gusts 60-70 mph were noted at several locations, including the Fallon Naval Air Station, along Interstate 80 near Lovelock (Toulon NDOT), and along highway 50 in the Silver Springs and Stagecoach areas.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, December 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: 615372, 615371, 615374.