A strong cold front brought winds gusting up to 85 mph to portions of northern and central Nevada. These strong winds blew down power poles in Humboldt county and did some other minor property damage.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 LKN wrote it up.
A strong cold front brought winds gusting up to 85 mph to portions of northern and central Nevada. These strong winds blew down power poles in Humboldt county and did some other minor property damage. In northern Nye county the winds blew down the historic Mitzpah Hotel and Casino sign in Tonopah. The cold front brought heavy snow to portions of White Pine county with 9 to 11 inches reported in some locations.
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 Elko, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 30, 3:02 AM PST, 4 hours 58 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Elko NV 402 AM PDT Thu Mar 30 2017 .SYNOPSIS...A strong storm system and accompanying cold front will move through the Great Basin today and tonight bringing very strong winds and snow to Nevada. Rain and thunderstorms with an eventual transition to snow will occur throughout today. This system will exit the state Friday with dry, quiet conditions expected for the weekend. && .SHORT TERM...Today through Saturday. Strong, dynamic trough and cold front will move through the state today with rapid changes in conditions expected in some areas. Pre-frontal convergence zone generating a line of showers in northern Nevada will continue to move east through the morning hours reaching Elko by sunrise. Pockets of strong winds aloft near 55 kts could be brought down by showers as observed earlier this morning before the official Wind advisory begins for the northern part of the state. Severe wind gusts to 60 mph are not out the question even prior to the frontal passage later this morning. Winds will increase rapidly across the state this morning as low deepens and surface gradient ramps up, especially behind the cold front. High wind warnings continue for Nye county while advisory level winds will exist across the remainder of the CWA today. Winds will remain elevated even through Friday so issued wind advisory following the expected expiration of the high wind warnings in northern Nye county to cover this scenario. Potentially damaging winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to 60 to 70 mph in some locations in northern Nye county are not out of the question, especially on leeward slopes. Additional threats of blowing dust and snow will also exist. Transition from rain to snow across the state will be rapid with steadily falling snow levels in the post frontal environment. Convective development will increase ahead of and near the cold front later this morning beginning in Humboldt county around sunrise reaching White Pine county by early afternoon. Thunderstorms are probable with the FROPA as models continue to show good agreement regarding the convective environment. Sufficient CAPE values of 400 to 700 along with steepening mid- level lapse rates throughout the day will support thunderstorms. The quicker movement of the trough/frontal system will is expected to translate into less snow accumulation overall. Generally 1 to 3 inches in valleys across the CWA are expected with up to 10 inches in the Ruby Mountains and the Jarbidge higher terrain area. Winter weather advisories remain for northern Elko and the Ruby Mountains. Friday and Saturday. Lingering light snow will shove eastward exiting White Pine county by Friday afternoon. Ridging will build over the region allowing for rebounding temperatures and dry conditions with highs in the 50s and 60s in valley locations for Saturday. .LONG TERM...Saturday night through Thursday. A dirty ridge will quickly build into the Silver State bringing warmer and dry weather for Saturday/Sunday. Daytime highs will be near to slightly above average. By late Sunday and into Monday morning, the ridge will be weakening as another trof begins to impact the CWA. Forecast models continue to come into better agreement tonight. The spread has lessened, but there is a clustering of H5 closed circulations west of the Sierras. This is an outlier, but cannot be ruled out at this time. We have seen this in the past, where a system continues to dig/close off, and then drops south through Cali. So even though forecast models are generally in better agreement tonight, that clustering is of concern. This system appears to be on the colder side with rain quickly changing to snow across many of the valleys around 4500-5000ft. There could be light valley snow amounts with moderate amounts of snow in the mtns. The storm is forecast to exit the region by Monday night, being replaced by breezy winds and below average temps. Tuesday through Thursday, another ridge will quickly build into the region with a bump in daytime highs. This will remain, until another storm potentially impacts the region beyond Thursday. Confidence is quite low at this time beyond Thursday, but an active pattern is possible. && .AVIATION...Potent storm with impressive upper dynamics digging southeastward across Nevada today. Convective precipitation and high winds will accompany the passage of a very strong cold front which will impact aviation at all TAF sites. Showers & thunderstorms with rain changing to snow (along and just behind the cold front) will develop and impact KWMC between 13z and 17z followed by KEKO between 14z and 18z. VCTS and VCSH will push southeast to KELY and KTPH after 17z. Strong gusty winds are possible with any of the heavier showers and storms as well as in the NW/N flow following the FROPA. Of particular concern, wind gusts up to 60kts (70mph) along with blowing dust will be possible at KTPH throughout the afternoon and early evening between 17z and 0300z. En route turbulence in addition to mountain waves and obscurations will exist across the state today. && .HYDROLOGY...A strong storm system will bring valley rain early this morning before changing over to snow throughout today. Up to a foot of snow is possible to accumulate on the Independence and Ruby Mountain ranges. Rivers and creeks will likely continue to run strong as this will be additional runoff through the weekend and early next week. Total liquid equivalent precipitaion of around 0.25 to 0.50 is expected across northern Nevada through Thursday night. Valley snow melt over the weekend will cause streams and rivers to respond upward next week. && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 8 AM this morning to 5 AM PDT Friday for Northern Elko County. Wind Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 11 PM PDT this evening for Northern Elko County-Ruby Mountains/East Humboldt Range- South Central Elko County-Southeastern Elko County-Southern Lander County and Southern Eureka County-Southwestern Elko County-White Pine County. Wind Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 8 PM PDT this evening for Humboldt County-Northern Lander County and Northern Eureka County. Winter Weather Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 5 AM PDT Friday for Ruby Mountains/East Humboldt Range. High Wind Warning from 11 AM this morning to 11 PM PDT this evening for Northeastern Nye County-Northwestern Nye County. Wind Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 11 AM PDT Friday for Northeastern Nye County-Northwestern Nye County. Flood warnings are in effect for the following areas: Humboldt River - Battle Mountain and Comus: Moderate flooding continues. Marys River: Minor flooding continues. All other monitored creeks and rivers are below minor flood stage. River Statements have been issued for the following areas: Bruneau River - near Charleston Humboldt River - Carlin Humboldt River - Palisade && 93/94/94/93
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Elko NV 303 AM PDT THU MAR 30 2017 NVZ030-036-301045- Humboldt County NV- Northern Lander County and Northern Eureka County NV- 303 AM PDT THU MAR 30 2017 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN HUMBOLDT AND NORTHEASTERN LANDER COUNTIES UNTIL 345 AM PDT... At 302 AM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking an area of strong showers near Battle Mountain, moving east at 25 mph. Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with these showers as they moves east along the I80 corridor. Locations impacted include... Battle Mountain,, I80, Argenta and Mule Canyon Reclamation Project. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. && LAT...LON 4085 11667 4056 11667 4067 11713 4076 11714 TIME...MOT...LOC 1002Z 265DEG 22KT 4070 11703 JRM
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Elko NV
716 AM PDT THU MAR 30 2017
NVZ030-301445-
Humboldt County-
716 AM PDT THU MAR 30 2017
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN HUMBOLDT COUNTY...
At 715 AM PDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Winnemucca,
moving northeast at 50 mph.
Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph are possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Winnemucca, Golconda, Winnemucca Airport, Adam Peak and Golconda
Summit.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
LAT...LON 4128 11735 4096 11713 4083 11764 4086 11765
4086 11785 4094 11791
TIME...MOT...LOC 1415Z 241DEG 42KT 4091 11777
DLWSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Elko NV
838 AM PDT THU MAR 30 2017
NVZ030-031-036-037-301630-
Southern Lander County and Southern Eureka County NV-
Northern Elko County NV-Humboldt County NV-
Northern Lander County and Northern Eureka County NV-
838 AM PDT THU MAR 30 2017
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN HUMBOLDT...
NORTHEASTERN LANDER...WEST CENTRAL ELKO AND NORTHWESTERN EUREKA
COUNTIES UNTIL 930 AM PDT...
At 837 AM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 6 miles west of Midas to 36 miles north of New
Pass Summit. Movement was east at 30 mph.
Half inch hail and wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph will be possible with
these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Battle Mountain, Valmy, Crescent Valley, Dunphy, Beowawe, Argenta,
Midas, Mount Tenabo, Phoenix Mine, Midas Mine, Willow Creek
Reservoir, Trenton Canyon Mine, Mule Canyon Reclamation Project,
Antelope Valley and Lone Tree Mine.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 4140 11621 4009 11661 4002 11753 4052 11730
4068 11731 4069 11741 4133 11707
TIME...MOT...LOC 1537Z 267DEG 27KT 4123 11693 4005 11763
LIWThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong winds gusting to 66 mph snapped 8 power poles along State Route 140 and damaged 3 power poles in the Paradise Hills area. In Winnemucca a carport was destroyed by the strong winds. Damages are estimated.
A wind gust of 64 mph was recorded at the Tonopah airport. These strong winds blew down the historic Mitzpah Hotel and Casino sign in Tonopah and blew down a 12 inch diameter tree in front of the museum.
A wind gust to 60 mph was recorded at the Currant Creek RAWS site.
Reports of 6 to 9 inches of snow were reported in Ely and 9 inches 10 miles southwest of Baker.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, March 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: 681958, 682175, 682176, 682177.