A strong low pressure system brought heavy snow to the eastern slopes of the Sierra.
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The episode as NWS VEF wrote it up.
A strong low pressure system brought heavy snow to the eastern slopes of the Sierra.
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 Feb 16, 9:02 PM PST, 4 hours 58 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 902 PM PST Thu Feb 16 2017 .SYNOPSIS...A strong area of low pressure moving through southern California will produce significant valley rain and mountain snow across the region Friday through Saturday. In addition, gusty south winds will occur in parts of eastern San Bernardino and southern Mohave Counties. && .UPDATE...The vigorous upper low winding up well off the California Coast is still on track to impact much of southeast California, southern Nevada and northwest Arizona through Saturday. The initial moisture plume preceding the system was moving across southern California into southern Nevada this evening and some light rain was falling across northern San Bernardino County which was evident from radar returns and the China Lake and Bicycle Lake surface observations. The latest NAM and GFS solutions show little change from the 12Z-18Z solutions and support the forecast trends detailed in the previous discussion. The Wind Advisory for the southern Sierra was allowed to expire at 9 PM PST. Otherwise, no significant changes needed for now. -Adair && .PREV DISCUSSION... 224 PM PST Thu Feb 16 2017 .SHORT TERM...through Saturday night. The band of showers over California will continue to sag south into southern California the rest of this afternoon and evening. Not looking for much in area until late evening/after midnight as upward motion associated with diffluent region under 110 kt jet streak moves overhead. Precip will develop within a narrow axis of higher precipitable water values initially over northwest San Bernardino/southern Inyo County and will eventually expand eastward into southern Nevada/northwest Arizona. As winds aloft back to a more southerly direction Friday, models similar showing this band lifting north-northwest through the day eventually becoming orientated north-south primarily across Inyo and western San Bernardino Counties Friday evening. That means most of Clark, Lincoln, Mohave and eastern San Bernardino County will experience a lull or least minimal precip chances Friday night. As the upper low progresses inland Saturday this north/south line of precip will steadily march east bringing with it a decent swath of rain and mountain snow for Clark, eastern San Bernardino and Mohave Counties. Meanwhile rainfall intensities should be on the decrease in Inyo and northwest San Bernardino County Saturday afternoon. Still looks like rain/snow intensities drop off after 10 pm PST Saturday evening. Upgraded the Winter Storm Watch to a Winter Storm Warning for the same timeframe Friday-Saturday evening. Again, snow level looks to hover between 6000-7000 feet with heaviest accumulations above 7000 feet. No change to the Flash Flood Watch. Did issue a Wind Advisory for eastern San Bernardino, far southern Clark and southern Mohave Counties Friday afternoon into Saturday. Models showing strong southerly winds during the period of minimal precip chances. .LONG TERM...Sunday through Thursday. A trough axis will be located over Mohave County to start the day on Sunday and gradually push to the east during the afternoon. Shower activity will persist throughout the day across eastern Clark, Lincoln and Mohave Counties and linger into the evening the far eastern portions of Lincoln and Mohave Counties. A shortwave ridge will build in from the west on Sunday night, but significant moisture will spill over the top of the ridge keeping mid and high level clouds in the area on Monday. At the same time, an impulse will move across the northwest portion of the area, over the Sierra late Sunday night and into Esmeralda and central Nye Counties during the day on Monday, providing a chance of showers. The next feature of note will be a closed low that will work its way down the west coast and move inland in northern California on Wednesday and across the Great Basin Wednesday night, providing another chance of showers mainly over southern Nevada and northwest Arizona Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night. Snow levels will average around 7000 feet Wednesday afternoon and fall to 4000 feet by Thursday morning. Temperatures will be on a bit of a roller coaster ride, starting near normal on Sunday, trend warmer through Tuesday and then return to near normal on Thursday. && .AVIATION...For McCarran...CIGS will lower to around 6 kft with light rain possible after 10z. CIGS will look to lift above 6 kft around Noon Friday as rain comes to an end. Once the rain comes to an end it is possible for stronger southerly winds to develop and continue through Friday night. Heavier rain and lower CIGS are likely on Saturday. For the rest of southern Nevada...northwest Arizona...and southeast California...Primarily southerly winds during the period becoming strong and gusty in eastern San Bernardino County and southern Mohave County Friday through Saturday. Band of rain will develop mainly north of a line from KDAG-KLAS tonight then lift north- northwest through Inyo County and southern Nevada Friday. Band of rain will march east through Clark, eastern San Bernardino and Mohave Counties Saturday. Expecting lower CIGS/VSBY and mountain tops obscured during the period. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && Short Term/Aviation...Pierce Long Term...Czyzyk 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.
1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Twenty one inches of snow fell in Aspendell.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in California, February 2017
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: 681162.