Low pressure over the northeast Pacific on the 17th moved southeast, reaching northern California on the 18th. This system brought high winds and snowfall to western Nevada.
Every event with a place to put it; 10 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.
Low pressure over the northeast Pacific on the 17th moved southeast, reaching northern California on the 18th. This system brought high winds and snowfall to western 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 Reno, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 18, 3:08 AM PST, 52 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
308 AM PST Sun Feb 18 2018
.SYNOPSIS...
A strong cold front will move through the region today into
tonight bringing periods of snow to the Sierra and snow showers
to western Nevada. The temperatures and associated windchill early
next week will be the coldest of the season and be dangerous to
anyone outside without proper protection from the cold.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
No major changes to the forecast overnight. Winds are currently
ramping up as the strong cold front moves into northwest Nevada
and northeast California this morning. The fast moving front is
is expected to move through Reno/Tahoe around midday and move
through southern Mono County by around 8 pm this evening. Winds
will peak along and ahead of the front with a band of snow showers
along and just behind the front.
Ridge winds are currently gusting to 80+ mph, with peak winds
expected through late morning before slowly subsiding behind the
front. For the valleys a period of strong gusty winds is expected
with gusts of 40-50 mph along the front. Behind the front winds
will remain breezy with very cold temperatures and wind chill
becoming a concern for anyone outdoors the next few days.
With the westward shift in the system forecast yesterday the
central Sierra remains in better position to pick up snow with
lower chances for western Nevada. Along the cold front 2-4 inches
of snow is expected around the Tahoe basin with 3-6" at the
higher elevations. Most of the rest of the region will see
anywhere from a trace to up to around 2 inches. Snow showers will
continue Monday, mainly in the Sierra, with another few inches
accumulation likely.
In western and west central Nevada there is a decent chance for
some areas to see a flash freeze tonight. Daytime high
temperatures in lower valleys will reach into the mid to upper 40s
today ahead of the front which will warm the ground surfaces
enough to melt falling snow. All of the precipitation is expected
to fall as snow, but could quickly melt on warm ground surfaces,
and then refreeze as very cold temperatures take hold tonight
behind the cold front. Keep in mind, it only takes 0.01" of liquid
to refreeze on roads to make them very slick, so be extra
cautious driving around the region tonight.
The coldest temperatures of the season are expected for the start
of the week. Monday and Tuesday, temperatures throughout the area
will struggle to reach around freezing, with low temperatures in
the teens and single digits. This will be quite a shock for most
people after the very warm winter the region has been
experiencing. Keep in mind, temperatures and wind chill will be
enough to be dangerous to anyone outside the next few days.
With the very cold temperatures there will also be the chance for
lake effect snow Monday morning into early afternoon south of
Pyramid and Tahoe that may add additional snowfall accumulations
to those areas. Lastly, there is a very slight chance some
convection on Monday could be enough for a quick low top
thunderstorm to develop. The best chances will be in west central
Nevada, and if storms do develop, they likely wouldn't last long.
-Zach
.LONG TERM...Wednesday through next week...
Cold trough remains over the West Coast through the second half of
the week with below normal temperatures and increased chances for
snow as multiple shortwaves drop through the Pacific Northwest and
into northern NV/CA. Latest models are in good agreement showing the
next system dropping into our forecast area Thursday. This will
bring another round of snow for the Sierra and chances for snow even
into the valleys of western Nevada and northeast CA. Travel may
become impacted by light snow not only for the Sierra on Thursday,
but for the evening commute in the lower valleys in western Nevada.
Weak shortwave ridging moves over on Friday for a short break in
between weather systems. Another shortwave moves into the region
Saturday, bringing another shot of cold air and snow in the Sierra
and valley floors.
Forecaster confidence continues to rise with regard to the weather
pattern remaining active through the end of February. We don't see
any major winter storms on the horizon, however weaker cold storm
systems with light to moderate snow are possible through the end of
the month and into the beginning of March. -Hoon
&&
.AVIATION...
Winds are already increasing across the region this morning as a
strong cold front moves in. Increasing winds aloft will create
dangerous low-level wind shear and moderate to severe mountain wave
turbulence through this evening. Wind gusts at area terminals will
be around 35-45kts today, with ridge winds in the Sierra topping out
around 90kts.
This cold front will also bring a burst of snow along the front this
afternoon and evening. This will bring brief IFR CIG/VIS due to
snow, along with light snow accumulations at out area terminals.
There is a 70% chance of 2-4 inches of snow at KTVL and KTRK this
afternoon and evening with the frontal passage. For KRNO and KCXP,
lesser amounts of 0-1" are most likely. As for KMMH, best chances
for snow will be this evening and tonight with snow amounts of 1-2"
likely.
Additional light snow amounts are possible on Monday for
area terminals with periods of IFR conditions during heavier snow
showers. -Hoon
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Strong winds are expected across the western Nevada Sierra Front and
along the Eastern Sierra today with widespread gusts 45-55 mph. Wind
prone areas will see localized gusts up to 65 mph this afternoon.
The area of strongest winds will be along the US-395 south of Carson
City down through Mono county and into the Owens Valley late this
morning and into early this afternoon. A dry slot aloft will also
bring lower humidity for those lower elevations mainly along and
east of US-395 where fire weather conditions will be elevated.
Fire personnel should be aware of these elevated conditions,
especially for areas east of Mono Lake and Crowley Lake that haven't
seen any wetting rains in several months. -Hoon
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Wind Advisory until 6 PM PST this evening NVZ002>004.
Wind Advisory from 7 AM this morning to 10 PM PST this evening
NVZ001.
CA...Wind Advisory until 6 PM PST this evening CAZ072.
Wind Advisory from 7 AM this morning to 10 PM PST this evening
CAZ073.
&&
For more information from the National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/renoSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service RENO NV 353 AM PST Sun Feb 18 2018 CAZ070>073-NVZ001>005-190000- Surprise Valley California-Lassen-Eastern Plumas- Eastern Sierra Counties-Greater Lake Tahoe Area-Mono County- Mineral and Southern Lyon Counties-Greater Reno-Carson City- Minden Area-Western Nevada Basin and Range including Pyramid Lake- Northern Washoe County- Including the cities of Cedarville, Eagleville, Fort Bidwell, Portola, Susanville, Westwood, Sierraville, Loyalton, South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City, Truckee, Markleeville, Bridgeport, Coleville, Lee Vining, Mammoth Lakes, Hawthorne, Yerington, Smith Valley, Mina, Schurz, Stateline, Glenbrook, Incline Village, Sparks, Verdi, Gardnerville, Virginia City, Fernley, Fallon, Lovelock, Silver Springs, Nixon, Imlay, Empire, and Gerlach 353 AM PST Sun Feb 18 2018 ...SNOW WILL CREATE SLICK DRIVING CONDITIONS MONDAY... A strong fast moving cold front will move through the region during the day today with slick driving conditions likely in the Sierra and possible throughout the rest of the region. In the Sierra snow accumulations of a few inches at all elevations with up to 5-8 inches along the higher passes will bring back winter driving conditions to the Sierra. You should anticipate travel restrictions and delays today and tonight in the Sierra. In western Nevada, snow showers with light accumulations of snow around 0.5-1.0" of snow are possible with up to 2 inches in some foothill locations. A flash freeze will also be possible today where a small amount of snow falls, melts as it hits warmer ground surfaces, and then refreezes when the temperatures fall. The most likely areas for flash freeze will be in the lower valleys in western and west- central Nevada where the temperatures are expected to rise to the mid 40s today before cold front arrives. Keep in mind, it only takes 0.01 of precipitation flash freezing to the road to make for hazardous driving conditions, and it is nearly impossible to say exactly where this might happen. So the best advice is, if you see precipitation falling or wet/snowy roads today be extra cautious since they could be even slipperier than usual. http://weather.gov/reno
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 high wind, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Automated station recorded a wind gust of 99 mph atop Slide Mountain.
Automated station recorded a wind gust of 85 mph on Peavine Peak.
Mesonet station SRNNV, 3 miles northwest of Lakeview reported a wind gust of 64 mph.
Mesonet station GLCNV, 2 miles north-northeast of Washoe City reported a wind gust of 76 mph.
Mesonet station CLDNV, 5 miles west of Stead reported a wind gust of 84 mph.
Mesonet station SRZNV, 4 miles north-northeast of Schurz reported a wind gust of 67 mph.
NWS WFO Reno reported a wind gust of 68 mph.
Mesonet station WLKNV, 6 miles northwest of Hawthorne reported a wind gust of 73 mph.
Mesonet station NEMNV, 3 miles west-southwest of Dayton reported a wind gust of 59 mph.
Trained weather spotter 2 miles south-southeast of Spanish Springs reported 4 inches of snow within a two hour period.
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, February 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: 742894, 742895, 742896, 742897, 742898, 742903, 742904, 742905, 743127, 742893.