Strong winds began early on the 9th as an upper-level trough of low pressure and cold front moved towards northeastern California and the eastern Sierra. S.
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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 winds began early on the 9th as an upper-level trough of low pressure and cold front moved towards northeastern California and the eastern Sierra. Wind gusts peaked as high as 70 mph in wind prone locations along the U.S. Highway 395 corridor, but most locations saw wind gusts in the 35-50 mph range.
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 Jun 9, 8:26 AM PST, 2 hours 4 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
926 AM PDT Sat Jun 9 2018
.UPDATE...
Thicker clouds are a little farther south this morning. This could
act to limit temperatures a bit more in northern and western
portions of the CWA and also not allow humidity to fall as much
along the Sierra Front. Realizing the gusty winds will not be a
problem today. Low level wind shear has been reported at RNO so
that remains an aviation hazard. Boating concerns continue today
due to the strong gusty winds as well. We will leave the current
advisory and warnings products as is and make a few minor
adjustments to high temperatures and humidity. Updates out soon.
&&
.SYNOPSIS...
An incoming low pressure system will produce strong and gusty winds
today. These winds will result in dangerous boating conditions,
critical fire weather concerns, travel hazards for high profiles
vehicles and areas of blowing dust. Cooler temperatures are
expected this weekend but will quickly rebound next week as above
average temperatures return.
&&
.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... /Issued 220 AM PDT Sat Jun 9 2018/
SYNOPSIS...
An incoming low pressure system will produce strong and gusty
winds today. These winds will result in dangerous boating
conditions, critical fire weather concerns, travel hazards for
high profiles vehicles and areas of blowing dust. Cooler
temperatures are expected this weekend but will quickly rebound
next week as above average temperatures return.
SHORT TERM...
An upper level trough axis is beginning to push across the
Pacific Northwest with high clouds streaming across northern
California and northwest Nevada. Winds across the Sierra ridges
are currently gusting over 60 mph and will continue to increase
in the mountains and valleys through the morning and afternoon
as a cold front pushes through the region.
The strong surface thermal/pressure gradient created by the cold
front will produce steady winds of 20-30 mph with gusts mainly in
the 40-50 mph range. As the cold front moves through, there will
be a brief period where gusts of around 50 mph are possible, with
50-60 mph possible through wind prone locations such as the Hwy
395/I580 corridor through Washoe and Carson Valleys.
The combination of strong winds and dry conditions have prompted
Red Flag Warnings for today. See the Fire Weather Discussion for
additional details. Strong winds will also make for dangerous
conditions on area lakes and boating is not advised. Strong cross
winds may produce travel restrictions for high profile vehicles.
Areas of blowing dust are expected downwind of desert sinks and
dry lake beds.
The front will not produce much in the way of precipitation aside
from a few light showers or even an isolated thunderstorm mainly
across the Surprise Valley and far northern Washoe County.
Behind the front, chilly and brisk conditions will be in place
which may dip some colder Sierra valleys below the freezing mark
Sunday morning. Areas across Pershing and Churchill counties
could see temperatures dip into the 30s by Monday morning as
clear conditions and lighter winds prevail. Temperatures rebound
on Monday to around or slightly above normal with a warming trend
continuing through midweek. Fuentes
LONG TERM...Tuesday through next weekend...
Light flow will return across the region for mid-week with most
data sets indicating dry and stable conditions and temperatures
returning to above normal levels. Temperatures will rise to around
80 degrees for the Sierra valleys while upper 80s to lower 90s
return to lower elevations.
Confidence goes way down as we get into the end of the week and
next weekend as models struggle with the details of incoming
trough. There seems to be some overarching agreement in a trough.
However resulting sensible weather ranges from increasing chances
for thunderstorms and much cooler temperatures in the wetter
scenarios to dry weather and only a slight cool down in others. So
we have opted to leave things generally dry for now but show a
modest cooling trend. Hohmann
AVIATION...
Main concern will be widespread strong winds and turbulence as a
strong cold front pushes through the region. Winds were already
gusting 50-55 kts this morning along the ridges and vigorous
mixing along and behind the cold front will create periods of
moderate turbulence along and to the lee of mountain ranges today.
As the cold front initially pushes through this morning, some
LLWS will be possible as well as a brief period of locally
stronger downslope wind gusts to 50-55 kts along the eastern
Sierra. Gradient winds will take over for much of the day once the
front passes far enough to the east and thermal gradients tighten.
Expect widespread sustained wind speeds 20-30 kts with gusts
35-40 kts. Winds and turbulence will begin to decrease later this
evening and overnight. Hohmann
FIRE WEATHER...
A cold upper trough was moving onshore across the Pacific
Northwest and northern CA this morning and will continue to move
east today. This will push a strong cold front through the area
with strong winds, both sustained winds and wind gusts. Ridgeline
winds were already gusting to around 60 mph. As the front moves
through the area, vigorous mixing and an increasing thermal
gradient will combine to produce southwest to west winds 20-35 mph
with gusts above 40 mph for much of the day. Winds will likely
increase rather quickly or already be ongoing after sunrise for
the Tahoe Basin and Highway 395 corridor with widespread gusty
winds by afternoon across all the region. Humidity levels will
drop to around 15-20% along the Sierra Front with values closer to
10% out in the Basin and Range. Strong winds and low humidity
will be conducive to fast moving fires, especially where fine
cured fuels like grass are present. Hohmann
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Lake Wind Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening NVZ002.
Red Flag Warning until 11 PM PDT this evening NVZ453-459.
Wind Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening NVZ003.
Wind Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening NVZ001-004.
Red Flag Warning until 11 PM PDT this evening NVZ450.
CA...Lake Wind Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening CAZ071-072.
Wind Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening CAZ073.
&&
For more information from the National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/renoThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Mesonet station RNYC1, 4 miles south-southeast of Sierraville (elevation 6943 feet) reported a wind gust of 65 mph.
ASOS South Lake Tahoe Airport (elevation 6257 feet) reported a 60 mph wind gust.
Mesonet station TADC1, 2 miles northeast of Donner Peak (elevation 7399 feet) reported a 78 mph wind gust.
Mesonet station WMSRS, 9 miles northeast of Chalfant (White Mountain Summit; Elevation 14246 feet) reported an 85 mph wind gust.
Weather station at Squaw Summit (elevation 8700 feet) reported a wind gust of 93 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in California, June 2018
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: 764440, 764409, 764444, 764445, 764447.