Another Pacific storm followed immediately behind the previous one, bringing heavy snow to the Sierra Nevada.
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.
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.
Another Pacific storm followed immediately behind the previous one, bringing heavy snow to the Sierra Nevada.
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 Jan 3, 3:00 PM PST, 1 hour earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 300 PM PST Tue Jan 3 2017 .SYNOPSIS...A moist westerly flow will provide precipitation to the southern Sierra and lead to periods of considerable cloudiness over the rest of the region through much of the week. Above normal temperatures will last through Thursday. Cooler weather returns on Friday behind a cold front and should linger into Saturday before warming once again Sunday and Monday. && .DISCUSSION...A band of precipitation has moved into the southern Sierra...currently impacting the northern half of Inyo County. This moist westerly flow will continue through Thursday. Snow levels will generally be between 7000 and 7500 feet before lowering on Thursday afternoon at the end of the event to below 6000 feet. 1-2 feet of snow above 7000 feet still looks reasonable and 3-5 feet of snow above 9500 feet. The most challenging part of the forecast is how much rain will reach into the Owens Valley and what time frame will be favored. At this point, Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night looks to be most favored. Total rainfall in excess one half inch is possible in the Owens Valley by storms end. Gusty west to southwest winds will develop ahead of an approaching cold front on Thursday. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph are expected across the western deserts of San Bernardino County and a wind advisory has been issued. Elsewhere, wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph will be common and that will help to support better mixing with high temperatures on Thursday expected to be 5 to as much as 10 degrees above their seasonal normals. Temperatures will drop significantly behind the cold front on Friday with highs 10-15 degrees lower. A ridge of high pressure migrates eastward across the area Friday into Saturday. The next round of moisture will make its way toward the California coast by Saturday afternoon. Snow levels will start out around 7000 feet on Saturday afternoon but rapidly increase to 9000 feet Saturday night. Above 9000 feet the snow will be measured in feet, potentially another 3-5 feet. More uncertainty exists in just how much moisture spillovers down into the Owens Valley but communities may be measuring rainfall in inches. Due to the high snow levels and potential heavy rainfall there may be some flooding concerns in creeks and streams coming from the eastern Sierra Slopes this weekend. Limited precipitation will make its way into the higher elevations of southern Nevada on Sunday. Its not until Monday when the main upper level trough begins to push across the area when the desert locations have the best opportunity to receive any rainfall. There is still a decent amount of model difference as to how quickly the system exits to the east, whether its quickly Monday night or lingering into Tuesday. Temperatures will recover on Sunday and Monday to levels that will be at least a few degrees above normal. && .AVIATION...For McCarran...Calm to light and variable winds will begin to gradually favor south to southwest this evening and overnight. Southerly speeds will likely not exceed 12 kts or so. Clouds could thin somewhat late this afternoon or early evening, but another slug of mid level moisture could bring thicker clouds overnight tonight. With thinning of upper-level clouds around the same time, CIGs could drop further by tomorrow morning. 10 kft seems reasonable at this time, but there is at least slight potential they may drop lower. For the rest of southern Nevada...northwest Arizona...and southeast California...Generally light winds expected for most of the area through the period. A belt of enhanced winds may begin to develop just north of a KDAG to KIGM line with W/SW winds up to 20 kts by late afternoon. Ceilings may begin to erode somewhat, but reinforcing moisture and nighttime cooling will likely keep mid-level ceilings in place with some scattered clouds under deck by morning with potentially lower ceilings in areas once again. Some precipitation may begin to spill over the Sierra Nevada into KBIH tomorrow, but all other sites are expected to remain dry. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather according to standard operating procedures. && Discussion...Czyzyk Aviation...Steele 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.
Fifteen 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, January 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: 674301.