An area of slow moving thunderstorms developed in central Nevada, causing localized heavy rain. The heaviest rainfall occurred in northern Nye County.
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The episode as NWS LKN wrote it up.
An area of slow moving thunderstorms developed in central Nevada, causing localized heavy rain. The heaviest rainfall occurred in northern Nye County.
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 Aug 2, 4:44 PM PST, 46 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Elko NV 544 PM PDT Thu Aug 2 2018 .SYNOPSIS...Smoky skies will dominate northern and central Nevada for a few day from fires in California. Hot conditions will continue through Thursday then taper off over the weekend. Monsoon moisture will trigger thunderstorms across northeast and central Nevada through Thursday night. A few lingering storms across eastern Nevada are possible on Friday. A low pressure system will dip into northern Nevada by Friday, nudging temperatures down a few degrees but create windy and dry conditions. The fire danger will still be with us. && .UPDATE...California and western Nevada fires putting out copious amounts of smoke into Nevada. Visibility at Winnemucca hovering under three miles, but it's not the worst place. It's likely that visibility is near one mile over a large swatch of Humboldt, western Elko, and northern Lander and Eureka Counties. This will continue for at least 24 hours until winds shift direction. Have updated zones to reflect the poor sky conditions. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED AT 139 PM / SHORT TERM...Tonight through Saturday night. Overall, large upper ridge axis is over Utah and will not come back during the short term. Instead, models agree well on flattening the ridge over Nevada with an oncoming short wave, along with a moderately powerful jet streak Friday and Saturday. Airmass is dry coming in, and winds especially across northern Nevada will increase through the period, creating bad fire dangers. Thunderstorms decrease overnight and into Saturday as drier air advects in, despite moderately strong jet streak over northern Nevada. Winds mix down pretty well, with wind conditions developing Friday and Saturday. Temps cool off but RH's drop. have issued RFW for northern Nevada and small portion of central Nevada Friday morning through Saturday night. LONG TERM...Saturday night through next Thursday. Near zonal flow aloft late Saturday will back to a southwesterly direction on Sunday with gradient relaxing by early next week. Sunday could still be a bit on the breezy side during the afternoon with temperatures running several degrees cooler than what they have been, but still above normal. Extended period theme is dry with another run at 100 degree plus heat as upper high pressure system (597 dm) rebuilds and strengthens over Nevada by the middle of next week. Northern and central Nevada should be predominately storm- free Sunday through most, if not all of next week as models indicate little if any moisture of significance will be in the vicinity of the upper high center. AVIATION...Scattered thunderstorms are likely around KTPH and especially KELY Thursday afternoon and early evening. An isolated thunderstorm could pop up in the vicinity of KBAM this afternoon while not enough confidence to include VCTS at KEKO. KWMC will remain storm-free. Some of the storms in White Pine and northern Nye counties could produce brief heavy downpours, frequent lightning, small hail, and wind gusts up to 40 kts. Areas of smoke and widespread haze will continue to impact the region with potential for intermittent MVFR visibilities primarily at KWMC. Southwest to west winds gusts of 20 to 25 kts most TAF sites this afternoon with a little stronger winds possible Saturday afternoon/early evening. FIRE WEATHER...The large upper ridge that has made it so hot and dry has moved east and another small wave aloft will create dry southwest to west winds. A "cold" front will increase surface winds over the entirety of northern, central, and eastern Nevada Friday into Saturday night. Expect winds to change to westerly 15 to 25 mph in the daytime with gusts to near 40. Overnight winds will decrease but ridgetops could still see 10 to 20 mph and gusts to 30 mph in places. A Red Flag Warning is in effect Friday 11 am PDT through Saturday 11 pm PDT, including overnight for winds/RH. Thunderstorms will decrease in coverage through the weekend. Temps still hot even with a little cooling from the front. OUTLOOK: Monday the heat wave starts again. By Wednesday and Thursday, high temps pushing 100 many areas and possibly 103 zone 467. Min RH's back down to single digits. && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Red Flag Warning from 11 AM Friday to 11 PM PDT Saturday for Central Lander and Eureka Counties-Central and Western Humboldt County-Eastern Elko County-Eastern Humboldt County and Northwestern Elko County-Southwestern and Central Elko County. && 98/99
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Elko NV 418 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 NVZ041-022345- Northeastern Nye County NV- 418 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTH CENTRAL NYE COUNTY UNTIL 445 PM PDT... At 418 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from 13 miles west of Duckwater to 34 miles northwest of Blue Eagle Ranch. Movement was east at 20 mph. Wind gusts 40 to 50 mph will be possible with these storms. These storms will remain over mainly rural areas of north central Nye County. LAT...LON 3898 11579 3868 11603 3884 11626 3897 11607 TIME...MOT...LOC 2318Z 278DEG 17KT 3893 11597 3878 11611 86
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Elko NV 435 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 NVZ035-039-030000- South Central Elko County NV-White Pine County NV- 435 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTH CENTRAL WHITE PINE AND SOUTHEASTERN ELKO COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM PDT... At 435 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Lages Junction, moving east at 25 mph. Wind gusts 40 to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Lages Junction. LAT...LON 3996 11472 4005 11473 4020 11445 3990 11440 TIME...MOT...LOC 2335Z 261DEG 23KT 4002 11463 86
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Elko NV 448 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 NVZ035-041-030015- Northeastern Nye County NV-White Pine County NV- 448 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN NYE AND SOUTHWESTERN WHITE PINE COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM PDT... At 447 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Duckwater, moving east at 25 mph. Wind gusts 40 to 50 mph will be possible with this storm along with moderate to heavy rain. Locations impacted include... Duckwater. LAT...LON 3885 11580 3894 11582 3909 11555 3875 11548 TIME...MOT...LOC 2347Z 261DEG 22KT 3891 11571 86
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Elko NV 502 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 NVZ033-035-039-030030- Southeastern Elko County NV-South Central Elko County NV- White Pine County NV- 502 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN WHITE PINE AND SOUTHEASTERN ELKO COUNTIES UNTIL 530 PM PDT... At 502 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7 miles southeast of Lages Junction, moving east at 25 mph. Wind gusts 40 to 50 mph will be possible with this storm along with brief heavy rain. Locations impacted include... Tippets Road. LAT...LON 3993 11459 4004 11461 4017 11433 3985 11426 TIME...MOT...LOC 0002Z 261DEG 22KT 3999 11452 86
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Elko NV 526 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 NVZ035-041-030100- Northeastern Nye County NV-White Pine County NV- 526 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EAST CENTRAL NYE AND SOUTH CENTRAL WHITE PINE COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM PDT... At 524 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 17 miles east of Duckwater, moving east at 25 mph. Dime size hail will be possible with this storm. This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of east central Nye and south central White Pine Counties, including US Highway 6 that runs from southwest White Pine to northeast Nye counties. Ponding of water may occur, please use caution if traveling along US Highway 6 through this area. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Moderate to heavy rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. && LAT...LON 3883 11551 3895 11552 3911 11526 3873 11515 TIME...MOT...LOC 0024Z 261DEG 22KT 3890 11540 86
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Elko NV 548 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 NVZ040-041-030115- Northwestern Nye County NV-Northeastern Nye County NV- 548 PM PDT THU AUG 2 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL NYE COUNTY UNTIL 615 PM PDT... At 548 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 20 miles east of Round Mountain, moving east at 25 mph. Wind gusts 40 to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Table Mountain. LAT...LON 3864 11678 3875 11680 3892 11653 3859 11646 TIME...MOT...LOC 0048Z 261DEG 22KT 3871 11668 86
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 debris flow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain over Duckwater, NV caused a debris flow over SR 379. The debris flow was estimated to be 5 to 7 feet wide and 2 inches deep.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, August 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: 776706.