California, 2016Avalanche in California, January 14, 2016
January 14, 2016 · NWS REV · 1 event in 1 county or zone
Avalanche danger was rated as considerable by the Sierra Avalanche Center on the 14th when a skier went missing. Days of inclement weather around the 14th and high avalanche danger caused the search to be halted on the 19th.
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.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
Avalanche danger was rated as considerable by the Sierra Avalanche Center on the 14th when a skier went missing. Days of inclement weather around the 14th and high avalanche danger caused the search to be halted on the 19th.
What forecasters said that day
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 Jan 14, 10:18 AM PST, 4 hours 12 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 14, 10:18 AM PST, 4 hours 12 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
1018 AM PST THU JAN 14 2016
.UPDATE...
WILL MAKE A FEW MINOR UPDATES TO ACCOUNT FOR INCREASED CLOUDS AND
SLIGHTLY COOLER HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY AND TO ADJUST TIMING OF THE
START OF THE PRECIPITATION THIS AFTERNOON. HAVE SLOWED THE ONSET
OF THE HEAVIER PRECIPITATION A LITTLE THIS AFTERNOON IN NORTHEAST
CALIFORNIA AND THE LAKE TAHOE BASIN...BUT PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE
MOVING INTO THE REGION BY MID AFTERNOON. UPDATES OUT SOON. XX
&&
.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 317 AM PST THU JAN 14 2016/
SYNOPSIS...
A SERIES OF STORM SYSTEMS WILL IMPACT THE SIERRA AND WESTERN
NEVADA THROUGH NEXT WEEK WITH PERIODS OF GUSTY WINDS...MOUNTAIN
SNOW AND VALLEY RAIN. THE NEXT STORM WILL BRING MODERATE AMOUNTS
OF SNOWFALL TO NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA, NORTHWEST NEVADA AND THE LAKE
TAHOE REGION THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT.
SHORT TERM...
THE STORM PARADE CONTINUES WITH THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE MOVING
INLAND ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LATER
TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE LATEST GUIDANCE TRENDS FAVORED MORE
PRECIP PUSHING FARTHER SOUTH INTO EASTERN CALIFORNIA TO NEAR
HIGHWAY 50. AS A RESULT, WE ADDED NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND THE
TAHOE REGION TO THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. WHILE WE ARE STILL
ANTICIPATING A LONGER PERIOD OF STEADY LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW IN
AREAS NORTH OF SUSANVILLE AND GERLACH, FOR THE NORTHERN SIERRA
AND TAHOE BASIN WE WILL LIKELY RECEIVE A SHORTER PERIOD OF MORE
INTENSE SNOW DURING THE EVENING AND LATE NIGHT HOURS. THERE IS
EVEN A POSSIBILITY FOR LOCALIZED SNOWFALL REACHING ADVISORY LEVELS
IN WESTERN MONO COUNTY IF THIS WETTER TREND IS MAINTAINED.
FOR THE RENO-CARSON VICINITY, A SHORT PERIOD OF LIGHT RAIN IS
APPEARING MORE LIKELY FOR LATE TONIGHT, WITH SOME SNOW MIXING IN
ABOVE 5000 FEET BUT LITTLE TO NO ACCUMULATION EXPECTED.
ALONG WITH THE PRECIPITATION, WE ALSO MADE A SIGNIFICANT UPWARD
TREND WITH WINDS TONIGHT FOR THE TAHOE BASIN AND ALONG THE
HIGHWAY 395 CORRIDOR FROM RENO SOUTHWARD TO MONO COUNTY. 700 MB
FLOW IS NEAR OR EVEN SLIGHTLY STRONGER THAN YESTERDAY MORNING WHEN
SEVERAL LOCATIONS RECEIVED GUSTS BETWEEN 50-65 MPH PRIOR TO THE
ONSET OF THE MAIN PRECIP BAND. WE WILL GO AHEAD WITH A WIND
ADVISORY BASED ON THE LATEST GUIDANCE DATA AND FAVORABLE
COMPARISONS TO YESTERDAY MORNING'S WIND EVENT.
AS PRECIP TAPERS LATE TONIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING, ONLY A SHORT
BREAK IS EXPECTED BEFORE THE NEXT STORM MOVES INTO THE REGION
FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. WEAK WARM ADVECTION ALOFT WILL SPREAD
RATHER LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW TO THE SIERRA AND PARTS OF WESTERN NV
FRIDAY NIGHT. THERE ARE SOME UNCERTAINTIES WITH THE INTENSITY OF
THIS SYSTEM AS THE GUIDANCE HAS VARIED WITH PRECIP AMOUNTS FROM
RUN TO RUN. AT THIS TIME, IT APPEARS THAT SNOW LEVELS WILL RISE TO
NEAR 6500-7000 FEET WHEN THE BULK OF THE MOISTURE ARRIVES ON
SATURDAY. FOR THE SIERRA ABOVE 7000 FEET, THERE COULD BE AROUND 6
INCHES OF SNOWFALL ALONG THE CREST, BUT AMOUNTS WILL DROP OFF
FARTHER TO THE EAST DUE TO LIMITED INSTABILITY. FOR WESTERN NV
VALLEYS AND FOOTHILLS, OCCASIONAL LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS AND GUSTY
WINDS ARE LIKELY, WITH TEMPERATURES NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS IN THE
MID 40S TO NEAR 50 DEGREES. MJD
LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...
MODELS ARE BEGINNING TO COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT WITH NEXT WEEK'S
ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN. FORECASTER CONFIDENCE CONTINUES TO RISE,
WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT THE UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN WILL
CONTINUE INTO NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER, REGARDING THE POTENTIAL STRONG
ATMOSPHERIC RIVER EVENT, CONFIDENCE IS ONLY MEDIUM WITH THE
POSSIBILITY THAT WE MAY SEE A HEAVY SNOW/RAIN EVENT FOR OUR
REGION LATE SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT.
WE'VE CONTINUED TO RAISE THE CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION FOR THE
EXTENDED PERIOD, WITH MOST LOCATIONS IN THE SIERRA NOW IN THE 50-80%
CHANCE SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. BOTH 00Z GFS AND ECMWF ARE BRINGING A
DEEP SLUG OF SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE (PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES
APPROACHING 1.5") INTO THE SIERRA AND WESTERN NEVADA FOR EXTENDED
PERIOD OF 24-48 HOURS SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. THAT BEING
SAID, THE 06Z GFS (JUST COMING IN) IS MUCH LESS WETTER THAN PREVIOUS
RUNS, WHICH IS KEEPING OUR FORECASTER CONFIDENCE AT ONLY MEDIUM FOR
NOW. SNOW LEVELS LOOK TO REMAIN IN THE 5500-7000 FT RANGE SUNDAY-
MONDAY, THEN FALLING TO AROUND 4000-5000 FEET TUESDAY INTO
WEDNESDAY. THIS WOULD MEAN A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW AT THE LAKE TAHOE-
TRUCKEE ELEVATIONS WITH PRETTY MUCH ALL HEAVY WET SIERRA CEMENT FOR
ELEVATIONS 7000 FEET AND ABOVE.
THE STAKES ARE RUNNING HIGH WITH THIS POTENTIAL ATMOSPHERIC RIVER
EVENT FOR NEXT WEEK. STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS COULD END UP
BEING SUBSTANTIAL, WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF RAIN AND SNOW WATER LIQUID
EQUIVALENT OR MORE. NWS FORECASTERS WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS
PERIOD VERY CLOSELY OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS REGIONAL IMPACTS MAY
BE SIGNIFICANT. HOON
AVIATION...
FREEZING FOG AT KTRK THIS MORNING WILL KEEP IFR CONDITIONS UNTIL
AROUND 17Z. ANOTHER FAST MOVING WINTER STORM IS MOVING INTO THE
REGION THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING WITH INCREASING WINDS,
TURBULENCE, IFR/MVFR CIG/VIS, SNOW, ICING, AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION
FOR AREA TERMINALS.
SIERRA RIDGE LEVEL WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON TO AROUND
70KTS WITH MOUNTAIN WAVE TURBULENCE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
FRIDAY MORNING. WIND GUSTS AT THE TERMINALS WILL ALSO INCREASE
THROUGH THE DAY TODAY WITH PEAK WIND GUSTS TONIGHT AROUND
45KTS, THEN DIMINISHING AFTER 15Z FRIDAY MORNING.
SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ARE LIKELY AT KTRK-KTVL, MAINLY AFTER
MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. FOR KMMH, UP TO A AN INCH OR TWO MAY BE POSSIBLE
EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. LITTLE TO NO SNOW AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED FOR
KRNO-KCXP.
ANOTHER FAST MOVING WINTER STORM IS EXPECTED TO PUSH THROUGH THE
REGION ON SATURDAY WITH ACTIVE WEATHER CONTINUING LATE SUNDAY INTO
WEDNESDAY. HOON
&&
.REV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NV...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY NVZ005.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST
FRIDAY NVZ002.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 AM PST FRIDAY NVZ003.
CA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY CAZ071.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY CAZ070.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 AM PST FRIDAY CAZ073.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST
FRIDAY CAZ072.
&&
FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO (ALL LOWER CASE)In the hours before
Local storm report, Jan 14, 12:27 PM PST, 2 hours 3 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
1227 PM PST THU JAN 14 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0608 AM SNOW HEAVENLY VALLEY 38.96N 119.89W
01/14/2016 E7.0 INCH DOUGLAS NV PUBLIC
HEAVENLY SKI AREA REPORTED 7 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE LAST
24 HOURS.
0608 AM SNOW MOUNT ROSE SKI AREA 39.33N 119.89W
01/14/2016 E11.0 INCH WASHOE NV PUBLIC
MT. ROSE SKI AREA REPORTED 9 TO 11 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE
LAST 24 HOURS.
0608 AM SNOW HOMEWOOD 39.08N 120.17W
01/14/2016 E8.0 INCH PLACER CA PUBLIC
HOMEWOOD SKI AREA REPORTED 7-8 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE LAST
24 HOURS.
0608 AM SNOW NORTHSTAR 39.28N 120.12W
01/14/2016 E10.0 INCH PLACER CA PUBLIC
NORTHSTAR SKI AREA REPORTED 10 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE LAST
24 HOURS.
0700 AM SNOW 5 SSE PROSSER CREEK RES 39.32N 120.13W
01/14/2016 M6.0 INCH PLACER CA AWOS
AWOS AT TRUCKEE AIRPORT MEASURED 6.0 INCHES OF SNOW OVER
THE LAST 24 HOURS WITH 0.47 INCHES OF LIQUID. ELEVATION
IS 5900 FEET.
0700 AM SNOW 4 E ALPINE MEADOWS 39.17N 120.14W
01/14/2016 M7.5 INCH PLACER CA CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER IN TAHOE CITY MEASURED 7.5 INCHES OF SNOW
OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS. ELEVATION IS 6230 FEET.
0700 AM SNOW 1 WSW SUGAR PINE POINT 39.06N 120.14W
01/14/2016 M3.2 INCH EL DORADO CA CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER REPORTED 3.2 INCHES OF SNOW WITH 0.31
INCHES OF LIQUID OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS. ELEVATION IS
6315 FEET.
0726 AM SNOW ALPINE MEADOWS 39.17N 120.22W
01/14/2016 E11.0 INCH PLACER CA PUBLIC
ALPINE MEADOWS REPORTED 11 INCHES AT THE TOP AND 10
INCHES AT THE BASE IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.
0726 AM SNOW SQUAW VALLEY 39.20N 120.22W
01/14/2016 E12.0 INCH PLACER CA PUBLIC
SQUAW VALLEY SKI AREA REPORTED 12 INCHES OF SNOW AT 8200
FEET AND 8 INCHES OF SNOW AT 6200 FEET IN THE LAST 24
HOURS.
0800 AM SNOW 1 SSW BOCA RESERVOIR 39.39N 120.09W
01/14/2016 M3.0 INCH NEVADA CA CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER REPORTED 3.0 INCHES OF SNOW WITH 0.45
INCHES OF LIQUID OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS. ELEVATION IS
5575 FEET.
0900 AM SNOW 1 W VERDI 39.52N 120.03W
01/14/2016 M2.0 INCH SIERRA CA CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER WEST OF VERDI REPORTED 2.0 INCHES OVER THE
LAST 24 HOURS WITH 0.30 INCHES OF LIQUID. ELEVATION IS
5429 FEET.
0946 AM SNOW ENE HOMEWOOD 39.08N 120.16W
01/14/2016 M7.0 INCH PLACER CA TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM TOTAL OF 7 INCHES OF SNOW AT LAKE TAHOE LEVEL.
1200 PM SNOW 5 E ALPINE MEADOWS 39.18N 120.14W
01/14/2016 M6.5 INCH PLACER CA TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED 6.5 INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE LAST
24 HOURS WITH A STORM TOTAL OF 7.5 INCHES. ELEVATION IS
6330 FEET.
&&
DNORMANAvalanche, Greater Lake Tahoe Area
- When
- January 14, 2:30 PM PST
- Where
- Greater Lake Tahoe Area forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
- Coordinates
- 38.935, -120.458 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A ski instructor exited into the backcountry from the Sugar Bowl ski area on the afternoon of the 14th. When he failed to return home that night, he was reported missing (on the 15th). Tracking and location information from his phone placed him on the backside of Mount Judah in an area with recent avalanche activity...however, inclement weather forced the suspension of the search on the 19th.
On February 29, search and rescue teams using the cell phone information and dogs located the skier under 5 feet of snow. The time of the avalanche was estimated by the Sierra Avalanche Center.
- Avalanche
- A mass of snow sliding down a mountainside that caused a death, an injury or damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Cold in Minnesota, January 14, 20161 death · 1 event
- Rip Current in Puerto Rico, January 14, 20161 death · 1 event
- Cold in Nevada, January 14, 20161 death · 1 event
- High Wind in Wyoming, January 14, 201655 kt wind · 14 events
- High Surf in Hawaii, January 14 to 19, 201611 events
- Winter Weather in Michigan, January 14 to 15, 20164 events
- Winter Weather in Colorado, January 14 to 16, 20163 events
- Heavy Snow in Montana, January 14, 20162 events
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, January 14 to 15, 20161 event
- Heavy Snow in California, January 14 to 15, 20161 event
- Heavy Snow in Nevada, January 14 to 15, 20161 event
- Damaging Wind in Louisiana, January 14, 201665 kt wind · 1 event
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: 616052.