A slow moving and somewhat moist winter storm brought moderate to heavy snow to portions of northern Elko county, as well as the mountain locations in the forecast area in central Nevada.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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 slow moving and somewhat moist winter storm brought moderate to heavy snow to portions of northern Elko county, as well as the mountain locations in the forecast area in central Nevada.
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 Dec 25, 1:57 AM PST, 2 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Elko NV 157 AM PST Tue Dec 25 2018 .SYNOPSIS...A winter storm system moves across Nevada through Christmas Day. Light to moderate snow accumulations are expected across the region with the heaviest snow above 5000 feet over northern Nevada. Another wintry system arrives Wednesday evening and Thursday bringing a chance of more snow and colder temperatures. && .SHORT TERM...Christmas Day through Thursday. Slow moving closed upper low over central California coast and models very close to this position. At this time, the water vapor imagery doesn't show much movement of the low, but models have it digging southeast and speeding on out this afternoon and evening. They have done an admirable job on this system so am leaning toward previous forecasts and their predictions. There is a surface convergence zone lying from around Jarbidge to south of Winnemucca which has kept prolonged snows going all night. It has showed signs of spreading out so am banking on it weakening and snows lightening up through the day, as forecast. Above the surface, a shallow area of stability is sandwiched up to about 700 mb then another layer of instability aloft. The stable layer is very shallow and not enough to inhibit lift through it to be then kicked on up by the instability aloft. Models showing a brief progressive ridge setting up tonight into Wednesday but another strong short wave/closed low digs right in with more northern Pacific polar maritime air and more snow showers Thursday. This low turns the flow more northerly and so temps begin to drop. Highs drop from the 30s to low 40s today to the 28-40 range Wednesday to 25-35 Thursday. Lows from singles to 20s today to single and teens Thursday morning. Places with lots of snow pack will hit zero easily. .LONG TERM...Thursday night through next Tuesday. Serious differences after Saturday but the picture for now looks like a full ridge set up HOWEVER it will be oriented northeast to southwest and trajectories and surface flow directly into the Great Basin from the Yukon through Alberta, hence little moderation. Decreasing POPs through the period so temps are the Story o' the Day. Expecting highs to drop into the 20s most places, apart from central Nevada's warmer valleys with 30s. Lows will bottom out in the single and teens nearly everywhere, with below zero values in many northern valleys. Those with good snow pack will hit well below zero if skies clear out at all. && .AVIATION...Continued snow through Christmas Day into the afternoon at all sites. Tapers off after mid day at KWMC and after sunset at KBAM...KEKO...KELY...AND KTPH. Cigs and visbys will be down to IFR or LIFR under heavier showers. Temperatures will hover around freezing and slushy runways and other surfaces will impact take offs and landing and operation of ground equipment. Mountains will be obscured nearly everywhere. OUTLOOK: Conditions will improve briefly Wednesday before next winter system moves into the region. && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon for Northern Elko County-Northern Lander County and Northern Eureka County-South Central Elko County-Southeastern Elko County- Southern Lander County and Southern Eureka County-Southwestern Elko County-White Pine County. Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM PST this morning for Humboldt County. Winter Storm Warning until 4 PM PST this afternoon for Ruby Mountains/East Humboldt Range. && 98/98/98
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
11 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Measured thirteen inches at Toe Jam station, elevation 7700 feet.
Measured thirteen inches at Green Mountain station, elevation 8000 feet.
Measured thirteen inches at Fry Canyon station, elevation 6700 feet.
Measured twelve inches at Stag Mountain station, elevation 7800 feet.
Measured thirteen inches at Jack Creek Upper station, elevation 7250 feet.
Measured fourteen inches at Vacarro Spring station, elevation 7836 feet.
Measured twelve inches at Laurel Draw station, elevation 6697 feet.
Measured fifteen inches at Jack Peak station, elevation 8420 feet.
Measured fifteen inches at Columbian Basin station, elevation 6650 feet.
Wild Horse cooperative observer reported eighteen inches, elevation 6239 feet.
Measured fourteen inches at Golconda station, elevation 5696 feet.
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, December 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: 800411, 800407, 800408, 800410, 800413, 800405, 800412, 800409, 800414, 800415, 800406.