A thunderstorm produced gusty outflow winds of unknown speed, which destroyed scaffolding in downtown Elko.
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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 LKN wrote it up.
A thunderstorm produced gusty outflow winds of unknown speed, which destroyed scaffolding in downtown Elko.
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 Jul 21, 1:43 PM PST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Elko NV 243 PM PDT Sat Jul 21 2018 .SYNOPSIS...Stormy weather today with scattered thunderstorms in central NV and isolated thunderstorms in north NV. A few thunderstorms can be strong today producing winds and heavy rainfall. Stormy weather will continue through the weekend and into early next week. && .SHORT TERM...Today through Monday. The four corners high circulation center remains in AZ and NM. This will allow for a moist southerly flow across NV through the rest of the weekend and into early next week. This moisture will cause thunderstorms across NV with scattered storms in central NV and isolated cells in northern NV. Tomorrow will see the moisture move further north and westward promoting a larger area of thunderstorms than today. The moisture is enough that the storms will be wet in nature with the chance of heavy rainfall. The heavy rains can pose a flash flood threat with the strongest cores and training storms. Stronger storms will also pose a wind threat from strong gusty outflows. Haze from the numerous fires will still linger in the region through tonight and tomorrow. .LONG TERM...Sunday night through Friday. Medium range progs are depicting a large upper level ridge rotating around the 4 corners region of the United States. This will bring a flow out of the south with some moisture trying to work its way north. This will allow showers and thunderstorms to develop. Afternoon high temperatures will again be above normal with readings in the 90s and low 100s. Activity is expected to continue through the evening hours with lows in the 50s and 60s expected. By Tuesday through the Friday timeframe, the upper level ridge's circulation will remain somewhat over Arizona. Moisture trapped under the ridge will get recycled Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon with storm development waning Thursday and Friday afternoons. As of now, the above normal temperatures look to continue with readings in the 90s to 100s each afternoon. Overnight lows will remain in the 50s and 60s. && .AVIATION...Conditions will generally be VFR through the evening, with local MVFR conditions possible at KEKO, KELY and KBAM terminals due to -TSRA with wind gusts to 35-45 knots. With the possibility of strong wind gusts, temporary reductions to VSBY to 2SM can be expected. Density altitude values of around 8000-8500 feet are expected for Sunday afternoon. && .FIRE WEATHER...Wet thunderstorms are expected today and tomorrow. Coverage increases through the weekend from central and eastern Nevada today into most of Nevada Sunday. The thunderstorms will be scattered in central NV and isolated in northern NV. In addition to increased coverage RH's rise, and the chance for brief heavy rains increases, especially over zones 454...455...and 457. These wet thunderstorms pose a flash flood threat with the strongest cores and training storms. There is the threat of strong gusty winds with the thunderstorms with outflows in excess of 45 mph possible. && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && 99/86/86/99
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Elko NV
308 PM PDT SAT JUL 21 2018
NVZ035-041-212300-
Northeastern Nye County NV-White Pine County NV-
308 PM PDT SAT JUL 21 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN NYE AND SOUTH
CENTRAL WHITE PINE COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM PDT...
At 308 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 11
miles south of Lund, moving northeast at 40 mph.
Wind gusts 40 to 50 mph will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Preston and Lund.
LAT...LON 3868 11496 3868 11500 3861 11500 3859 11502
3867 11523 3909 11504 3898 11473
TIME...MOT...LOC 2208Z 205DEG 33KT 3870 11509
SHSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Elko NV 309 PM PDT SAT JUL 21 2018 NVZ034-038-039-212300- Southwest Elko County NV-South Central Elko County NV- Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range NV- 309 PM PDT SAT JUL 21 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY UNTIL 400 PM PDT... At 309 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Lamoille, moving east at 20 mph. Wind gusts 40 to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Lamoille, Spring Creek, Lee and Lamoille Canyon. LAT...LON 4054 11559 4073 11571 4090 11537 4061 11513 TIME...MOT...LOC 2209Z 251DEG 19KT 4065 11552 SH
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Elko NV 316 PM PDT SAT JUL 21 2018 NVZ038-212300- Southwest Elko County NV- 316 PM PDT SAT JUL 21 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN ELKO COUNTY UNTIL 400 PM PDT... At 316 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9 miles southwest of South Fork, moving northeast at 20 mph. Wind gusts 40 to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... South Fork and Emigrant Mine. LAT...LON 4053 11593 4062 11603 4079 11578 4063 11563 TIME...MOT...LOC 2216Z 237DEG 16KT 4061 11591 SH
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Elko NV 341 PM PDT SAT JUL 21 2018 NVZ036-038-212330- Southwest Elko County NV- Northern Lander County and Northern Eureka County NV- 341 PM PDT SAT JUL 21 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL ELKO AND CENTRAL EUREKA COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM PDT... At 341 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Pine Valley, moving northeast at 20 mph. Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Pine Valley. LAT...LON 4036 11621 4043 11628 4063 11602 4042 11587 TIME...MOT...LOC 2241Z 244DEG 16KT 4043 11619 SH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV
347 PM PDT SAT JUL 21 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0340 PM TSTM WND DMG ELKO 40.83N 115.76W
07/21/2018 ELKO NV LAW ENFORCEMENT
SCAFFOLDING COLLAPSED FROM GUSTY OUTFLOW
WINDS BETWEEN 50 TO 55 MPH. NO INJURIES BUT
THE ROADWAY IS BLOCKED. AIRPORT ALSO GUSTED
TO 51 MPH. NWS OFFICE GUSTED TO 43 KNOTS.
&&
94Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Elko NV 358 PM PDT SAT JUL 21 2018 NVZ038-212330- Southwest Elko County NV- 358 PM PDT SAT JUL 21 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL ELKO COUNTY UNTIL 430 PM PDT... At 358 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Ryndon, moving east at 20 mph. Wind gusts 40 to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Ryndon. LAT...LON 4092 11562 4100 11567 4113 11545 4098 11537 TIME...MOT...LOC 2258Z 249DEG 19KT 4098 11558 SH
The Elko radar (KLRX), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:39 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Scaffolding collapsed from gusty outflow winds between 50 to 55 mph. No injuries, but the roadway was blocked. Elko Airport also gusted to 51 mph and NWS Elko gusted to 49 mph. Blowing dust was also observed.
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, July 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: 763698.