Strong low pressure and an associated cold front brought high winds to western Nevada on the 15th.
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The episode as NWS REV wrote it up.
Strong low pressure and an associated cold front brought high winds to western Nevada on the 15th.
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 14, 3:19 PM PST, 8 hours 41 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
319 PM PST Wed Dec 14 2016
.SYNOPSIS...
Active weather continues through Friday. The greatest threat for
significant precipitation will be Thursday through Thursday night
with heavy snow in higher elevations and possible flooding
especially for smaller creeks and streams. Very strong winds are
also expected tonight through Thursday. Much colder conditions
are then expected Friday through this weekend.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
Major atmospheric river (AR) storm will continue to push into the
region tonight through Friday, bringing high winds, heavy
rainfall, and heavy high elevation snow. The main changes to the
forecast have been to increase expected precipitation (QPF)
across the Sierra and western NV foothills, as well as increasing
snow amounts for highest elevations above 8000 feet. Latest
integrated vapor transport is now showing a solid area of 500kg/ms
pushing inland across the Sierra and into western NV. This was a
similar signal that was observed last week ahead last weekend's AR
storm.
We have upgraded to a flood warning for the Truckee River near
Truckee, CA. The latest river forecast from the River Forecast
Center have pushed the Truckee River at Truckee to 5.4 ft, just
under moderate flood stage of 5.5 ft, late Thursday night into early
Friday morning. We are expecting similar, but slightly higher,
responses to rivers, creeks and streams that we saw this past
Saturday. So, a flood watch remains in effect for the region. This
includes expected rises on the mainstem Truckee through Reno and
Sparks to Nixon, Susan River near Susanville, and East Fork Carson
River at Markleeville and Gardnerville to near or above monitor
stage. Please read our hydrology discussion below for more
information on flooding potential.
After a slow start this morning, winds have finally started
to increase this afternoon across the Sierra and in western
Nevada. Washoe Valley winds have already increased to around 70
mph, and the peak of the winds isn't even expected until later on
tonight. High winds will create impacts to all areas, including
potential wind damage, hazardous cross winds for high profile
vehicles, and impacts to local flights from turbulence and low
level wind shear. Strongest winds will peak out tonight into early
Thursday morning with wind gusts up to 60-70 mph and wind prone
areas up to 80mph+ especially along the US-395 corridor.
Heavy precipitation will move into the Northern Sierra tomorrow
morning and then spread south into the Lake Tahoe area and Mono
county by Thursday afternoon. Snow levels will begin fairly high
at around 8000 feet. Heavy rainfall will peak out after 4pm
Thursday and go to around midnight in the Lake Tahoe area, and
continue after midnight for Mono County. Much colder air will push
into the region Thursday night, bringing snow levels down to
valley floors by Friday morning right as the precipitation begins
to wind down. This will really limit the amount of snow coming
down to the lower elevations, but for the highest elevations above
8000 feet, multiple feet of heavy wet snow are likely. Expect the
potential for avalanches especially at and above the rain-snow
interface where character of snow will change rapidly across short
distances due to changes in snow loading.
Should see some decent spillover Thursday evening into the valleys
of western NV, especially with the 700mb flow being so strong.
This should push some significant rainfall east into the foothills
of the Carson Range west of US-395 and west of Reno/Washoe
Valley/Carson City. Spillover should also come over into the Basin
and Range as well with up to 0.25-0.50" of rainfall possible in the
valleys east of highway 395.
On Friday, the last push of moisture will change over to snow for
pretty much all locations as the cold air moves in. We will have
to keep an eye on snow potential for the Friday evening commute
for Reno-Carson-Tahoe as a weak upper disturbance moves through
the region. Hoon
.LONG TERM...Saturday through Wednesday...
There were no large adjustments made to the existing forecast. Mid
range models continue to show cold conditions and a couple of minor
waves that are expected move through the region. The first wave is
being presented as modified slider-type system and is expected to
strafe Western Nevada Monday evening. There will be limited moisture
available, but a shower or two cannot be ruled out east of Highway
95A and north of Interstate 80. Temperatures will support a p-type
of snow.
The second system will begin to move out of the Pacific Northwest
Tuesday with some potential for precipitation Tuesday night and
Wednesday. Models disagree a little on track and a lot on moisture
content. GFS shows better chances of snow showers with the potential
for a more wintry mix at lower elevations. EC is much drier with the
precipitation tracking into eastern Nevada. Cold air will be trapped
in lower valleys, so even freezing rain is not out of the question.
Confidence in precipitation and type is low considering the time
scale and model discrepancies, but bears mentioning considering
potential impacts.
Otherwise, temperatures may be the most impactful weather parameter.
Highs Saturday through Monday will struggle around freezing while
overnight lows dip into the teens and single digits. Overall, the
end of the weekend and early next week will be quite frigid. You may
need to consider bringing outdoor pets inside and checking on the
elderly or other at-risk populations. Boyd
&&
.AVIATION...
Light precipitation is evident over northeastern California this
afternoon. Expect this precipitation to spread over the region
tonight through early Friday morning. MVFR conditions spread east-
southeast from northeast California late tonight into much of the
remainder of the forecast by Thursday evening. Periods of IFR
conditions are likely late Thursday night into Friday morning for
Sierra Front terminals and generally IFR for Sierra terminals.
The bigger threat to aviation has and will be strong gusty winds
with LLWS at all terminals through Thursday morning. Very strong
winds aloft will increase turbulence chances this afternoon. Ridge
gusts in excess of 90 kts are possible by this evening. Stronger
winds will develop near the surface in the Sierra and immediately
east of the Sierra later this morning...then spread into northeast
California...western Nevada and the eastern Sierra tonight.
Wind gusts for the terminals in the Sierra could hit 45 kt tonight
while east of the Sierra...where downslope signatures are
better...gusts could reach 50-60 kts for KRNO/KCXP/KMEV/KMMH. Winds
will not be quite as strong east of Highway 95...but still
quite gusty.
Much of the precipitation below 8000 feet will be rain from Thursday
morning into Thursday night...albeit heavy at times. Late Thursday
night into Friday morning snow levels will fall with accumulations
by late Friday morning up to 3 inches for KTRK/KTVL/KMMH. Snow
showers linger through Friday evening with the better chances at
KMMH. 20/Boyd
&&
.Hydrology...
The main change to the hydrology portion of the forecast was to
issue a Flood Warning for the Truckee River near Truckee.
An atmospheric river will produce a period of heavy rain with snow
levels near 8000 feet on saturated soils Thursday into Thursday
night. The main threat will be to creeks, burn areas, drainage
ditches, urban areas and farmland. A flood watch is in effect for
the Tahoe Basin, Reno-Carson-Minden area and northeast California
including Lassen and the eastern portions of Sierra and Plumas
counties.
* A big area of concern is Washoe Valley and the Little Valley Fire
burn area and creeks running out of the Carson Range where around
6 inches of rain fell on December 10th.
Sharp rises are likely on sections the Susan, East Fork of the
Carson, Carson, Feather, and Walker Rivers Thursday evening before
the snow levels fall. If the heaviest precipitation lingers in the
headwaters of any of these basins for a time longer than currently
forecast a few areas could see overbank flows.
Snow levels should drop rather quickly once the front passes
and this will end the heavy rain threat at elevations above 7000
feet by late Thursday night. However the flood threat continues in
the lower elevations Thursday night and Friday as water flows into
the valley locations. Brong/MLF
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...High Wind Warning until 10 AM PST Thursday NVZ005.
Flood Watch from Thursday morning through late Thursday night
NVZ002-003.
High Wind Warning until 10 PM PST Thursday NVZ001.
High Wind Warning until 4 PM PST Thursday NVZ002-003.
Winter Storm Warning from 10 AM Thursday to 4 AM PST Friday
above 7000 feet in NVZ002.
Wind Advisory until 10 PM PST Thursday NVZ004.
CA...High Wind Warning until 10 AM PST Thursday CAZ070-071.
Flood Watch from Thursday morning through late Thursday night
CAZ071-072.
High Wind Warning until 10 PM PST Thursday CAZ073.
Winter Storm Warning from 10 AM Thursday to 10 AM PST Friday
above 8000 feet in CAZ073.
High Wind Warning until 4 PM PST Thursday CAZ072.
Winter Storm Warning from 10 AM Thursday to 4 AM PST Friday
above 7000 feet in CAZ072.
&&
For more information from the National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/renoThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts between 63 (Bulls Eye) and 89 (Galena) mph were recorded along Mount Rose Highway on the 15th.
Gusts between 73 and 89 mph were recorded in and near the Carson Range southwest of Reno and west of Carson City and Minden, with gusts between 60 and 70 mph along Highway 395 in the north valleys of Reno. A semi truck was blown over in Washoe Valley at around 530PST. At the Reno-Tahoe International airport, at least 11 flights were cancelled, with at least 5 diversions, due to winds and turbulence.
Widespread wind gusts of 58 to 64 mph (64 mph at Walker Lake NDOT) were noted on the morning of the 15th, with sustained winds around 40 mph at times in the Smith Valley.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, 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: 678362, 678367, 678369.