A strong Pacific storm system brought high winds to the Owens Valley and portions of the Mojave Desert.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 VEF wrote it up.
A strong Pacific storm system brought high winds to the Owens Valley and portions of the Mojave Desert.
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 Dec 15, 8:30 PM PST, 1 hour 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 830 PM PST Thu Dec 15 2016 .SYNOPSIS...A strong Pacific storm system will impact the area through Friday. Shower activity can be expected across much of the area with strong winds. A sharp drop in temperatures will follow, bringing sub-freezing temperatures across much of the Mojave Desert by the end of the weekend. && .UPDATE... Water vapor imagery showing potent vorticity maximum near 32N/123W racing ENE toward the southwest California coast this evening. Latest model simulations have this shortwave trough moving through far southern Nevada near daybreak. Widespread precipitation has developed downstream of the trough in a region of deep large-scale ascent, augmented and enhanced via orographic processes to produce high precipitation rates on the windward side of the Sierra this evening. However, substantial shadowing continues downstream, particularly in the Owens Valley and adjacent Esmeralda/Nye Counties, where little to no measurable precipitation has been reported. Meanwhile, precipitation has developed more readily in northern San Bernardino County, southeastern Inyo County, and the windward side of the Spring Mountains in advance of a 250-mb jet streak nosing into southern California at this time. High- resolution model simulations have done a rather poor job depicting this precipitation and its evolution this evening. Given the strong dynamics associated with the approaching vort max, thinking that chances of measurable precip in this corridor are a bit higher than originally forecast. As such, bumped PoPs in this area overnight. As the vort max races into southern Nevada late tonight, models consistently produce quite heavy precipitation in the Spring Mountains between about 3 and 9 am -- bumped PoPs/QPF here accordingly. Meanwhile, not overly excited about measurable precipitation in the Las Vegas Valley. If it does occur, a few hundredths are about as much as I can see. Lowered PoPs/QPF for the metro, with best chances between midnight and 9 am. Other major change to the forecast was to increase tonight's lows across the board. The degree of cloud cover and the warm temperatures seen today were keeping temps about 3-8 degrees above forecast this evening. Wind forecast/products look good and did not change. && .AVIATION...For McCarran..Highly uncertain wind forecast tonight. Predominant S to SW directions, but speeds could wax and wane between 10 to 20 kts with occasional gusts to 30 kts. Chances of showers as well, with CIGs lowering to 5-10 kft, though not confident precipitation will occur at the terminal. Tomorrow, SSW winds will steadily increase, with gusts 30-40 kts likely in the afternoon/evening. CIGs will gradually improve by late morning. Turbulence/mountain obscurations are likely through tomorrow evening. For the rest of southern Nevada...northwest Arizona...and southeast California...Scattered showers developing in much of the area tonight with CIGs 5-10 kft common. Winds will increase late tonight and tomorrow from mainly a south or southwest direction, with speeds 15-25 kts and gusts to 40 kts (higher in the western Mojave Desert). A cold front will race through the southern Great Basin tomorrow afternoon, switching winds to northwest. Precip chances will mainly be confined to areas east of US 93 by late tomorrow morning with gradual CIG improvement during the day. Turbulence/mountain obscurations likely tomorrow evening. && .PREV DISCUSSION... 249 PM PST Thu Dec 15 2016 .SHORT TERM...Today through Saturday. A stream of very moist air will couple with a strong storm system from the northwest to bring inclement weather to the area through the weekend. The plume of moist Pacific air is bringing heavy precipitation to the west side of the Sierra this afternoon. This will eventually spill over to the east side of the mountains, bringing heavy snow to elevations above 8500 feet. Windy conditions have also begun to develop with wind of over 40 mph measured on Mt. Charleston and across portions of the Mojave Desert. High Wind Warnings are in effect tonight for much of the California desert areas and Mt. Charleston tonight through Friday as this system moves through. Short term guidance has indicated precipitation to be less likely across the Las Vegas Valley than previously. Have still lest likely pops tonight for the valley, but rainfall may be more sporadic in duration and coverage. Elsewhere, the forecast seems on track with rain amounts of up to an inch on Mt. Charleston, and up to a half inch in Lincoln and much of Mohave County. Rain and wind should diminish by late Friday night. Saturday will see much cooler temperatures, with highs 15-20 degrees lower than seen before the storm. .LONG TERM...Saturday Night through Wednesday. Weather in the extended portion of the forecast will be much colder and dry. Saturday night will see the first freeze of the year for portions of the Mojave Desert while other areas will see a hard freeze. Latest guidance brings colder temperatures than previously forecast. Highest confidence in a hard freeze is for Mohave County and the Mojave Preserve in Eastern San Bernardino County. Given recent model trend, will leave for next shift to monitor future guidance to solidify thinking prior to issuance of any freeze products. A weak disturbance will pass the area late Sunday but there will be little effect other than some light breezes and a reinforcement of cold temperatures. By wednesday, another weak disturbance appears on track to being a glancing blow to the area, but significant precipitation looks unlikely at this time. Most likely an increase in wind is expected. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotter activation is not anticipated. Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather according to standard operating procedures...especially with the storm tonight through Friday. && Update/Aviation: Shafer Previous Discussion: Berc For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: http://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
This gust occurred at the Twentynine Palms (KNXP) ASOS.
There was damage in a trailer park in Joshua Tree.
Winds blew over multiple big rigs on Highway 395 north of Pearsonville, prompting CHP to close the highway through nearly all of Inyo County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2016
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: 667718, 667719, 667720.