A low pressure system off the California coast allowed bands of snow showers to form over the Carson Range and Western Nevada the 9th into the 10th. Low elevation communities in Western Nevada received rapid light snow accumulations on the morning of the 10th.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
A low pressure system off the California coast allowed bands of snow showers to form over the Carson Range and Western Nevada the 9th into the 10th. Low elevation communities in Western Nevada received rapid light snow accumulations on the morning of the 10th.
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 Mar 9, 3:06 AM PST, 4 hours 54 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Reno NV 306 AM PST Sat Mar 9 2019 .SYNOPSIS... Another Pacific storm will slide down the coast bringing more snow showers to the Sierra Saturday and Sunday. Snow showers will become a little more widespread by Sunday with the best chance of accumulating snow over Mono and western Mineral Counties. A break is expected Monday before another fast moving storm arrives Tuesday with a chance of snow. Temperatures will remain below average, but a slow warming trend is possible at the end of next week. && .SHORT TERM... Changes were relatively minor for this forecast cycle, but QPF/Precip chances were marginally increased from this afternoon through Sunday evening as low pressure drops southward along the California coast. Showers are still expected today and tonight as the aforementioned area of low pressure moves along the California coast. Instability aloft and upsloping will be the main mechanisms for forcing showers today with a focus in the Sierra. Accumulations are expected to be minimal in the daytime hours, but a more convective shower would be capable of briefly covering roadways will snow - as was seen yesterday near Susanville; some periods of slick conditions are possible. Forcing mechanisms shift to more of a deformation snow-band scenario overnight tonight into Sunday. This type of forcing is notorious for being more uncertain in timing, placement, and amounts. However, models have been trending more northward with this precipitation with best chances south of Interstate 80. Current best estimates for snow accumulation tonight into early Sunday are up to an inch or two for the Tahoe/Truckee area and as up to an inch for locations along the Sierra Front through Mono/western Mineral Counties; includes Reno/Carson Metros. Precipitation dynamics show an increase in forcing during the daytime hours Sunday mainly for Mineral and Mono Counties. Up to another 3 inches could fall in this time period, but accumulations in lower elevations would be minimal given the higher sun angle. Again, forecaster confidence is lower than usual with precipitation forecast to start within 24 hours due to the position of the low west of the Sierra and its more cut-off nature. Any west/east deviations in trajectory would have a large effect where and how much snow could fall. Worst-case scenario would be for the low to pivot around the base of the trough causing deformation snow banding to linger longer than expected; some models do show this while others are much more progressive. A pleasant, but cool, day can be expected Monday as this low rapidly ejects Sunday night. Temperatures warm into the upper 40s for western Nevada and low 40s for Sierra valleys; still about 10 degrees below normal, but warmer than we have been lately. Cloud cover begins to increase Monday night ahead of another fast- moving wave. Boyd .LONG TERM...Tuesday through next Saturday... Active weather returns for Tuesday as a shortwave trough moves through the region from the Pacific NW. Overall, not many changes were made to the forecast regarding this system due to model consensus. Forecaster confidence has increased in the timing of the frontal passage as well as in widespread snow showers for the Sierra and western Nevada. Timing: Any precipitation that does fall will be quick and take place as the front moves through. By early Tuesday morning, northern portions of Lassen and Washoe counties will start to see snow showers. The crucial timing will be from Tuesday afternoon and into the early evening hours as snow showers are forecast to become more widespread during this timeframe along the leading edge of the cold front. Expect the showers to taper off by Tuesday night as the front migrates to the southeast of the region. Snow Amounts/Impacts: Even though snow levels will be at all valley floors, accumulation on area roadways will struggle at first due to higher sun angle during the day for this time of year. This will inhibit snow to accumulate on lower elevation surfaces where temperatures are slightly warmer during the day. Once the sun sets, temps will drop off and accumulation is more likely. Up to 1/2" of snow is possible at this time for the Reno-Carson City metro areas with even less to none for areas out east (i.e Fallon, Fernley, Lovelock) by Tuesday night. This could be just be enough to make the roadways slick and icy, especially during the Tuesday evening commute. A few inches is expected to accumulate on the Sierra passes since road surface temperatures will be colder. As the trough makes its exit towards the east, it will leave a brisk northwest wind contributing to cold temperatures for Wednesday and Thursday. As a matter of fact, temperatures look to stay 10 to 15 degrees below normal for this time of year for most of next week with signs of a gradual warm up by next weekend. The forecast becomes a bit fuzzy for the end of next week as long range model guidance continues to struggle. Confidence has grown in potential ridging for Thursday over the west coast leading to clearer skies and calm winds, but beyond Thursday is the question. According to the deterministic models, (GFS & ECMWF) the ridge becomes less amplified for Friday and Saturday as the Pacific storm track tries to drift southward while the probabilistic models (GEFS & EPS) keep the ridging in place. The deterministic models due have the tendency to break down synoptic features too quickly, which makes me favor that the ridge will stay in place at least through the end of next weekend. Will keep analyzing this potential situation and will make updates as things become clearer in the next few days. With the way this winter has been going, I would not be surprised if the active weather pattern does return. -LaGuardia && .AVIATION... Low pressure dropping down the California coast will bring more chances of showers today mainly for Sierra terminals with little to no accumulation during the day. Chances of snow showers will decrease overnight, but will also spread into western Nevada with a few showers possible for RNO/CXP. TVL/TRK could have MVFR conditions with any showers that move over the terminals. Chances increase once again south of Interstate 80 Sunday/Sunday Night with some light accumulations of snow possible mainly for MMH/HTH, generally around 1-3", and a dusting up to an inch for RNO/CXP/TVL/TRK. Any accumulations for RNO/CXP will mainly occur over tonight. Otherwise, mountain obscurations will be possible while surface gusts for most terminals will generally be light. An area of light-moderate turbulence will continue to be possible along and to the lee of the Sierra through the early afternoon until the upper level jet weakens and shifts eastward. Jet strength is only around 100kts, but sufficient for light-moderate mechanical turbulence at and at least 2000-5000ft above/below ridge level. Gusts of 50-70kts along the Sierra crest will also be sufficient to produce LLWS at TVL through the morning and early afternoon hours. The winds aloft drop significantly over the weekend into early next week. Boyd && .REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories... NV...None. CA...None. && For more information from the National Weather Service visit... http://weather.gov/reno
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter weather, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 3 to 4 inches in the higher elevations (generally above about 6900 feet MSL) of the Carson Range. This included ski areas such as Diamond Peak and Mount Rose.
NWS Employee reported snow rates up to 2 to 3 inches per hour 2 miles south-southeast of Spanish Springs from 10 March 0400PST to 0700PST. 1.6 inches of snow fell with a liquid water equivalent of 0.05 inches.
Nevada Department of Transportation reported that 4 inches of snow fell in a two hour time period from 10 March 0610PST to 0810PST along Alternate US Highway 95 in Wabuska.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, March 2019
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: 830642, 830643, 830638.