Strong low pressure over the northeast Pacific on the 25th moved southeast, reaching northern California on the 27th. This system brought high winds to many locations in western Nevada and snowfall to higher elevations.
Every event with a place to put it; 13 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 REV wrote it up.
Strong low pressure over the northeast Pacific on the 25th moved southeast, reaching northern California on the 27th. This system brought high winds to many locations in western Nevada and snowfall to higher elevations.
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 Nov 26, 4:30 AM PST, 5 hours 7 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...Corrected
National Weather Service Reno NV
430 AM PST Sun Nov 26 2017
.SYNOPSIS...
A storm system will bring strong and potentially damaging winds
today, then rain and snow later today through Monday morning.
Expect travel delays across the Sierra tonight and early Monday
due to slick driving conditions and higher traffic volume.
Temperatures cool to near seasonal averages from Monday through
the rest of the week. Another storm system may move through the
region next weekend.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
A potent winter storm is moving into the region today bringing
strong southerly winds, moderate mountain snow, and rain for
western Nevada valleys. The largest change for this forecast was
to speed up the system's progression by about 3 hours; all
deterministic models favored a slight increase in system speed.
* Winds: Strong and potentially damaging south to southwesterly
winds are expected today and tonight as a 150kt jet moves over
the Sierra. Southerly flow regimes favor very strong valley wind
gusts along the Sierra Front and low level wind shear for all
area terminals; expect delays for Aviation interests.
Additionally, crosswinds along Interstate 80, I-580, Highway 50,
and portions of Highway 395 will pose a threat to high profile
vehicles. Gusts today will peak out 50-70 mph for western Nevada
valleys and 40-55 mph in the Sierra and for the Basin and Range.
Blowing dust will likely reduce visibility off of area sinks in
the Basin and Range. Wind prone locations can expect periods
where winds gust to 80 mph.
* Snow Levels: Snow levels start higher and begin to drop in the
afternoon to Sierra pass levels. Snow levels reach Lake Tahoe
level around midnight and continue to fall to around 5000-5500
feet by early Monday morning.
* Precipitation: Precipitation was increased a little for the
higher Sierra and expanded farther east off the crest into the
Carson Range as the 150kt jet moves in a little more quickly
today. Liquid equivalent for the Sierra was increased a little
with totals now from 0.66-1.75 inches. Localized amounts around
2 inches along the Sierra crest are not out of the question. The
Sierra Front could see around 0.2 inches near Reno to 0.4
inches from Washoe Valley through Douglas County. Spillover
potential is higher for Mono County and some locations along
the Sierra Front could see up to 0.75 inches. Onset of
precipitation as rain in the Sierra from Lassen to around the
Tahoe Basin is expected to occur late this morning and spread
farther south through the day. The heaviest precipitation will
occur later this afternoon through around 4 AM for Sierra
locations and from late this evening through about 6 AM Monday
morning for western Nevada.
* Snow: Snow will begin at Sierra passes this afternoon and
continue through early Monday morning. Accumulations above 7000
feet are generally expected to be 6 to 12 inches with localized
totals to 15 inches. Below 7000 feet to around Lake Tahoe level
could see up to 4 inches with 6 inches possible along and west
of Highway 89. Similar totals are forecast for Mono County at
the same elevation splits. Up to 3 inches is expected west of
Susanville with higher totals possible towards Lassen Park. It
should be noted that error bounds are slanted towards the higher
end of the ranges, especially above 7000 feet.
* Fire Weather Concerns There will be a period of time this
afternoon where humidity will drop into the upper 20/low 30
percent range along the Sierra Front and down to around 20
percent for the Basin and Range and lower Mono County. These
percentages coupled with the expected winds are leading to a
higher than average fire risk for this time of year. No fire
weather warnings are in effect, but extra care should be
exercised to not cause a spark today.
Conditions improve greatly late Monday morning into the afternoon
as the cold front sweeps southward. Winds shift northerly after
frontal passage and become light by Monday night. Much colder
temperatures will occur Monday and Tuesday nights with overnight
lows returning to the 20s for western Nevada valleys and teens for
Sierra valleys. Daytime highs will be seasonable around 50
degrees for western Nevada and mid/upper 40s for Sierra valleys.
Boyd
.LONG TERM...Wednesday through Saturday...
The primary changes to the extended forecast this cycle were in the
latter part of the forecast as the medium range models are coming
into better agreement with the evolution of a closed low off the
coast and how it will interact with an incoming upper trough next
weekend.
Wednesday should see the fast moving short wave trough exit to the
east through the day. There may be a few lingering showers well east
of Fallon early. The ECMWF is faster moving this system out than the
GFS. This will leave a weak ridge in place through early Friday.
Earlier model solutions showed a closed low closer to the coast that
lifted over the forecast area late Thursday into Friday. The GFS was
most aggressive with this feature...but now it has trended toward
the ECMWF solution of keeping this low farther south and moving it
into southern CA/northern Baja by early Friday. This will keep our
region dry into Friday.
The next significant trough approaches late Friday. The ECMWF is a
little faster with the development of pcpn associated with this
trough and lowers snow levels faster Friday night into Saturday.
With the timing differences between the main deterministic models
...and with more of the GEFS ensemble members favoring a slightly
slower solution...we have opted to choose a middle ground and keep
the bulk of the pcpn out of the CWA before Saturday. Confidence in
this solution has risen to the medium range...but there are still
details that will require some time to resolve.
&&
.AVIATION...
The anticipated storm system is still on track to spread light
rain/snow into the forecast area starting late this morning across
northeast California...then spread south through the evening before
spilling into western Nevada before daybreak Monday as a cold front
moves through. We should see lowering cigs/vsbys for northeast
California and far northwest Nevada by early afternoon with
cigs/vsbys lowering through the Sierra this evening and overnight.
MVFR/IFR conditions are likely by late evening. A few inches of
slushy snow are possible at KTRK/KTVL by Monday morning.
Winds are increasing aloft and have started to mix to the surface.
Gusts at many terminals west of Highway 95 could reach 35-45 kt by
early afternoon. Low level wind shear is likely as surface winds
favor the south for much of today and winds aloft become more
southwest. Ridge gusts are likely to exceed 90 kt in the Sierra so
turbulence is likely aloft as well as near the surface.
Behind the front Monday the winds will begin to dissipate at the
surface but remain strong aloft. Showers linger behind the front as
well early Monday with occasional MVFR conditions through early
afternoon.
A break in the weather will occur from late Monday through early
Friday before another trough brings a renewed round of rain/snow to
the region next weekend.
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...High Wind Warning until 10 PM PST this evening NVZ005.
Lake Wind Advisory until 4 AM PST early this morning for Lake
Tahoe in NVZ002.
Winter Weather Advisory from 4 PM this afternoon to 10 AM PST
Monday NVZ002.
Wind Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon NVZ002.
High Wind Warning from 10 AM this morning to 4 AM PST Monday
NVZ003.
Wind Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 4 AM PST Monday NVZ004.
CA...High Wind Warning until 10 PM PST this evening CAZ071.
High Wind Warning until 10 PM PST this evening CAZ070.
Winter Weather Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM PST
Monday CAZ073.
Wind Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 10 PM PST this evening
CAZ073.
Lake Wind Advisory until 4 AM PST early this morning for Lake
Tahoe in CAZ072.
Winter Weather Advisory from 4 PM this afternoon to 10 AM PST
Monday CAZ072.
Wind Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon CAZ072.
&&
For more information from the National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/renoThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
13 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Mesonet station CLDNV 5 miles west of Stead reported a wind gust of 70 mph. KRNV News reported that several semi-trucks were overturned on US Highway 395 between Stead and Cold Springs.
Mesonet atop Peavine Peak (elevation 8269 feet) measured a wind gust of 126 mph.
Cold Springs NDOT sensor reported a peak wind gust of 70 mph. Washoe County Sheriff confirmed 7-8 power poles down along the frontage road on the west side of US Highway 395 between Cold Springs and Border Town. NV Energy reported that at least 862 customers were without power in that area.
Trained weather spotter 3 miles west of Reno reported a peak wind gust of 65 mph.
NDOT mesonet on US Highway 395/I-580 at Browns Creek Bridge reported a 66 mph wind gust.
Mesonet station F0451 3 miles north-northwest of Virginia City reported a 60 mph wind gust.
Washoe Valley NDOT sensor reported a peak wind gust of 73 mph.
The Stead Airport AWOS reported a wind gust of 76 mph.
The Galena RAWS reported a wind gust of 68 mph.
Mesonet atop Slide Mountain (elevation 9650 feet) measured a 112 mph wind gust.
Mesonet atop Virginia Peak (elevation 8299 feet) measured a 91 mph wind gust.
Silver Springs Airport AWOS reported a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport ASOS reported a wind gust of 58 mph.
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, November 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: 728950, 728945, 728951, 728955, 728954, 728957, 728949, 728948, 728953, 728946, 728947, 728956, 729034.