California, 2017Heavy Snow in California, March 4 to 6, 2017
March 4 to 6, 2017 · NWS REV · 3 events in 3 counties and zones
Cold low pressure dropped from the Gulf of Alaska on the 3rd into northern California by the 5th, bringing heavy snow to northeast California, the northern Sierra, and far western Nevada.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
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.
Cold low pressure dropped from the Gulf of Alaska on the 3rd into northern California by the 5th, bringing heavy snow to northeast California, the northern Sierra, and far western Nevada.
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 Mar 4, 2:20 PM PST, 2 hours 40 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 4, 2:20 PM PST, 2 hours 40 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
220 PM PST Sat Mar 4 2017
.SYNOPSIS...
Gusty winds will continue this evening as a strong cold front
moves into the region. Heavy snow is likely for the Sierra
beginning late this afternoon through Sunday. Snow accumulation
for western Nevada is likely Sunday morning north of Highway 50.
Much colder Sunday with snow showers continuing with less showers
on Monday. High pressure returns by mid to late next week with
warmer and drier conditions forecast. A return to a wet pattern is
possible next weekend.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
Overall, the forecast remains on track for the next 24 hours. A
few changes were made, but they are more to indicate the
confidence we have in the next 24 hours.
WINDS: Sierra ridges are gusting to 90 mph with many valley
locations seeing gusts 40 to 55 mph, in line with the forecast.
There are a few higher gusts to 70 mph in wind prone areas and
this will continue through the evening. All wind statements will
continue through expiration. Even Lovelock/Fallon getting into the
act with good mixing and there is dust coming off the Carson Sink.
Added dust to the forecast for this evening there.
The winds will gradually diminish some overnight, but not
completely weaken. They will remain brisk tomorrow with some gusts
30-40 mph which will make for a decent wind chill. We did issue a
Lake Wind Advisory for Pyramid Sunday after the Wind Advisory is
set to expire.
SNOW: Precip is increasing across Northwest CA and will continue
to push east this evening. Everything is on track, and it now
looks as if the main frontal band will occur after the snow levels
will drop to the valley floors along the Sierra Front. The
heaviest bands are still expected from 10 pm tonight through 10 am
Sunday and shift from north to south over that time. The main
change was to issue a winter weather advisory for the Sierra Front
with the higher confidence in snow sticking to the roads,
especially above 5000 feet. Elsewhere, a modest increase in
snowfall was made for the Sierra due to the convective nature of
the snowfall. Large dendrites are likely and snow rates will reach
2 inches per hour in the heavy bands.
After the main front and bands move through, convective snow
showers will continue Sunday with much colder temperatures, a good
20 degrees colder than today. A few more inches are possible in
the Sierra. While lake effect snow would be a good possibility
with 700 mb temps down to -16 C, the 700 mb winds are 40 kts, and
the shear will be too much for anything organized. Snow showers
will gradually wind down from south to north into Tuesday. By
Monday afternoon, most snow showers should be confined north of a
South Lake Tahoe to Lovelock line.
Tuesday, much drier except for a small chance of showers north of
Susanville and Gerlach. Temperatures will also warm up quite a bit
Tuesday as 700 mb temps begin to approach the freezing mark. Winds
will also diminish with just the ridges being gusty at times.
Wallmann
.LONG TERM...Wednesday through Saturday...
Model simulations continue to show the storm track retreating north
into the Pacific Northwest midweek, supporting relatively mild
conditions. Expect slightly above average afternoon temperatures (55-
65 lower valleys, 44-55 Sierra valleys) Wednesday and Thursday.
Thursday night and into next weekend, model simulations continue to
differ on the strength of a blocking ridge over the Aleutians as a
trough drops south out of British Columbia. This has implications
both with respect to how much cold air moves south into CA/NV for
Friday into the weekend and also as to how much Pacific moisture
gets entrained into the westerly flow pointed towards the west
coast. Atmospheric river outlook tools show a weak signal for the
weekend but with an increasing signal for the first half of next
week. The upshot is expect a return to active winter weather Friday
and this weekend with snow levels likely below pass levels but
otherwise highly uncertain at this time. JCM
&&
.AVIATION...
Strong surface wind gusts 35-50 kts at area terminals will generally
be strongest now through this evening. However for KMMH/KHTH the
strongest gusts are expected just before FROPA between 06-12z
tonight. For KTRK/KTVL expect a decrease in winds after the snow
arrives with gusts 20-25 kts after 03z tonight. For western NV
terminals the strongest gusts should also decrease somewhat after
03z but peak gusts 30-40 kts could continue through at least 12z.
LLWS potential increases again tonight after midnight post-FROPA as
the surface winds may decouple from the strong winds aloft.
Widespread IFR conditions due to snow are likely in the Sierra after
00z this evening through Sunday. A foot of snow accumulation is
likely at KTRK/KTVL during this period. Snow spreads south reaching
Mammoth Lakes around 09z with up to 6 inches possible at KMMH by
Sunday afternoon. As far as western NV terminals including
KRNO/KCXP/KMEV, expect at least an inch or two of snow between 06Z-
12Z (10PM Saturday to 4AM Sunday) Sunday. Between 12Z/4AM and
16Z/8AM Sunday, additional snow showers could bring another couple
inches but this is much more uncertain and depends where the
heaviest snow showers set up. JCM
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Winter Storm Warning until 4 PM PST Sunday NVZ002.
Wind Advisory until 10 PM PST this evening NVZ003-005.
Wind Advisory until 4 AM PST Sunday NVZ001-004.
Winter Weather Advisory from 10 PM this evening to noon PST
Sunday NVZ003.
Lake Wind Advisory from 6 AM to 6 PM PST Sunday for Pyramid Lake
in NVZ004.
CA...Winter Storm Warning until 4 PM PST Sunday CAZ071-072.
Wind Advisory until 10 PM PST this evening CAZ070.
Winter Storm Warning from 10 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Sunday
CAZ073.
Lake Wind Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon for Lake Tahoe
in CAZ072.
&&
For more information from the National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/renoIn the hours before
Local storm report, Mar 4, 2:51 PM PST, 2 hours 9 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
251 PM PST SAT MAR 04 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1140 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 NE INCLINE VILLAGE 39.31N 119.88W
03/03/2017 M83.00 MPH WASHOE NV MESONET
SLIDE MOUNTAIN RECORDED A WIND GUST OF 83 MPH AT AN
ELEVATION OF 9650 FT.
0616 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SW PLEASANT VALLEY 39.33N 119.79W
03/04/2017 M56.00 MPH WASHOE NV DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
THE NDOT SENSOR AT GALENA BRIDGE RECORDED A WIND GUST OF
56 MPH.
0720 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 ESE DAMONTE RANCH 39.40N 119.62W
03/04/2017 M58.00 MPH STOREY NV MESONET
A WIND GUST OF 58 MPH WAS REPORTED IN SOUTH RENO.
1035 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 SE RENO 39.51N 119.77W
03/04/2017 E51.00 MPH WASHOE NV ASOS
A WIND GUST OF 51 MPH WAS RECORDED AT THE RENO-TAHOE
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
1137 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NE RENO 39.58N 119.77W
03/04/2017 M61.00 MPH WASHOE NV OFFICIAL NWS OBS
THE NWS FORECAST OFFICE IN NORTH RENO RECORDED A WIND
GUST OF 61 MPH.
&&
O'HARALocal storm report, Mar 4, 2:51 PM PST, 2 hours 9 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
251 PM PST SAT MAR 04 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1140 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 NE INCLINE VILLAGE 39.31N 119.88W
03/03/2017 M83.00 MPH WASHOE NV MESONET
SLIDE MOUNTAIN RECORDED A WIND GUST OF 83 MPH AT AN
ELEVATION OF 9650 FT.
0616 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SW PLEASANT VALLEY 39.33N 119.79W
03/04/2017 M56.00 MPH WASHOE NV DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
THE NDOT SENSOR AT GALENA BRIDGE RECORDED A WIND GUST OF
56 MPH.
0720 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 ESE DAMONTE RANCH 39.40N 119.62W
03/04/2017 M58.00 MPH STOREY NV MESONET
A WIND GUST OF 58 MPH WAS REPORTED IN SOUTH RENO.
1035 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 SE RENO 39.51N 119.77W
03/04/2017 E51.00 MPH WASHOE NV ASOS
A WIND GUST OF 51 MPH WAS RECORDED AT THE RENO-TAHOE
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
1137 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NE RENO 39.58N 119.77W
03/04/2017 M68.00 MPH WASHOE NV OFFICIAL NWS OBS
THE NWS FORECAST OFFICE IN NORTH RENO RECORDED A WIND
GUST OF 68 MPH.
&&
O'HARAHeavy Snow, Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra
- When
- March 4, 5:00 PM PST to March 5, 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- Lassen/Eastern Plumas/Eastern Sierra forecast zone
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 40.086, -120.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ten to 20 inches of snowfall fell from just west of Susanville south and west to Portola and the Sierra Valley, including 16 inches in Portola and 11 inches 4 miles south-southwest of Susanville. Lesser amounts of 4 to 6 inches were noted along and east of Highway 395.
Heavy Snow, Surprise Valley
- When
- March 4, 8:30 PM PST to March 5, 5:30 AM PST
- Where
- Surprise Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 41.590, -120.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Four inches of snow was reported in Cedarville.
Heavy Snow, Greater Lake Tahoe Area
- When
- March 4, 10:00 PM PST to March 6, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Greater Lake Tahoe Area forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 38.935, -120.458 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Between 2 and 3.5 feet of snow fell at ski areas west and south of Lake Tahoe, with 17 to 24 inches around Lake Tahoe and northeast to Boca Reservoir and near Verdi.
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Winter Storm and Hail in California, March 4 to 6, 20170.75 in hail · 17 events
- Debris Flows and Flooding in California, March 4 to 5, 20170.25 in hail · 10 events
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, March 4 to 5, 20175 events
- Winter Storm and High Wind in Wyoming, March 4 to 6, 201777 kt wind · 4 events
- Winter Weather in Ohio, March 4, 20174 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Montana, March 4 to 5, 20174 events
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, March 4 to 6, 20174 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in California, March 4 to 7, 20173 events
- Heavy Snow in Washington, March 4 to 5, 20173 events
- Winter Storm in Idaho, March 4 to 6, 20173 events
- Heavy Rain in Hawaii, March 4 to 5, 20172 events
- Heavy Snow in Nevada, March 4 to 6, 20172 events
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: 712208, 712207, 712209.