Powerful Pacific jet stream, rain shadowing, and mountain waves yielded some of the highest winds the region has seen in a few years. Still dry vegetation and high winds contributed to several major wildfires near Reno, NV and Walker, CA.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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.
Powerful Pacific jet stream, rain shadowing, and mountain waves yielded some of the highest winds the region has seen in a few years. Still dry vegetation and high winds contributed to several major wildfires near Reno, NV and Walker, CA. A brief period of spillover rain and snow occurred that night into the morning of Nov 18.
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 Nov 16, 2:22 PM PST, 9 hours 38 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
222 PM PST Mon Nov 16 2020
.SYNOPSIS...
A storm moves in Tuesday for strong winds, especially in eastern
California and far western Nevada. Some wind damage is possible
in the immediate lee of the Sierra. Rain and higher elevation snow
are likely later Tuesday and Wednesday with travel in the Sierra
affected. Mild temperatures through Tuesday will fall closer to
average mid-week through the weekend.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
Forecast thinking now supports a bit stronger winds Tuesday with a
solid high wind event now expected for eastern CA and far western
NV. As far as snowfall amounts for the Sierra from Alpine County
northward and above valley floors across northeast CA, a good number
of simulations have increased their QPF with snow levels possibly a
bit lower than previously expected. In any case, there is high
confidence that travel over Sierra passes and the higher roads across
northeast CA will be affected by snow Tuesday night and Wednesday.
Let's break the weather elements down...
* WIND...
Wind projections for Tuesday from blended model guidance have
come up a bit more this morning. Also, now that short-term
guidance from the HRRR is available to add confidence, concern
has increased for a solid high wind event (more widespread peak
gusts to 60+ mph) for eastern CA and far western and northwestern
NV. More damage is possible than with the last round of wind (last
Friday) as fencing/trees could have been weakened from those
winds and this event could feature a good 8-12 hours of strong
wind ahead of the cold front. See our wind statements for more
details of the expected wind speeds and impacts.
Farther east into the west-central NV basin and range, given
that good mixing is expected with 700 mb winds 40-55 kts ahead
of a cold front, we now expect wind gusts to peak out in the
40-55 mph range Tuesday afternoon-evening. Thusly, a wind
advisory has been issued for Pyramid Lake and Pershing and
Churchill counties.
Blustery conditions with gusts to ~25-40 mph are expected Wednesday
as the region remains under the influence of troughing with winds
aloft remaining elevated.
* PRECIPITATION...
Many simulations have come in with heavier precipitation totals
Tuesday-Wednesday, especially in eastern California from Alpine
County northward but also possibly out into portions of western and
northwestern NV. Models now show a secondary wave moving over northern
California Wednesday morning which, with the moist westerly flow on
the unstable side of the cold front (hung up in Alpine County
and out into the Basin and Range), should result in another push
of rain and higher elevation snow. This feature, along with the
main period of heavier precipitation Tuesday night, have pushed
confidence in higher QPF upwards with a winter storm warning to be
issued for Lake Tahoe. Also, a bit colder air may filter into
northeast CA and northwest NV than expected previously due to the
more defined secondary wave. This may allow for more snowfall down
to between 5500-6000 feet (affecting Truckee and the Lake Tahoe
Basin) than was previously expected through Wednesday. See the
latest winter statements to be issued this afternoon for more
details.
With heavier precipitation still appearing to hang up in Alpine County
as the upper jet and cold front stall in their southward propagation,
precipitation totals for Mono County remain rather unimpressive with
the bulk limited to west of Highway 395. Still, there should still be
some relief for drier timber.
-Snyder
.LONG TERM...Thursday onward...
A weak trough over the western U.S. Thursday will maintain cool
temperatures, with mostly cloudy skies and chances for light showers.
Snow levels within these showers could come down to below 5,000
feet, but any snow accumulations are expected to be localized and
fairly light. Clouds should be on the decrease by Thursday night
as the trough exits to the east and then a weak high-pressure
ridge builds Friday though the weekend. With this ridging,
overnight inversions will return leading to cold morning
temperatures in valleys (single digits in the typically colder
spots) and as a result afternoon temperatures may warm only a
degree or two.
For next week, the pattern continues to be progressive but there are
some indications the weather systems could be weaker compared to
tomorrow's storm and that the deeper moisture may stream more into
the Pacific Northwest. That said, there is still potential for snow
(especially at mountain passes) which could impact Thanksgiving
holiday travel. Make sure to stay tuned to the forecast if you have
travel plans next week. JCM
&&
.AVIATION...
After fairly light surface winds through this evening (southeast-
south around 10 kts) winds increase overnight tonight and become
very strong tomorrow as a strong jet aloft move over the Sierra
and western Great Basin.
* WINDS: Winds aloft will increase significantly 06-12Z Tuesday
with ridge level winds 40-55 kts, gusts to 70+ kts. These winds
get even stronger Tuesday after 12z with ridge level winds 50-70
kts with gusts up to 100+ kts. South-southwest winds will
develop at the Tahoe terminals early Tuesday morning and then
expand to all of the eastern Sierra and western NV, intensifying
during the morning and afternoon Tuesday. Moderate to severe
turbulence, LLWS and rotors will be common with widespread
surface wind gusts 40-55 kts, locally stronger to 60-70 kts in
wind prone areas along the Highway 395 corridor from Susanville
to Lee Vining. Surface winds will back off in these areas
Tuesday night as precipitation arrives, but turbulence will
likely continue Tuesday night and Wednesday as winds aloft
remain strong. Surface winds will likely stay strong from Lee
Vining south into KMMH well into the night Tuesday night (gusts
45+ kts at KMMH).
* RAIN/SNOW: Rain and high elevation snow will bring mountain
obscurement to the Tahoe Basin northward into Lassen County
beginning Tuesday evening and continuing overnight and Wednesday
morning. Snow levels will start above area terminals but there
is a chance for rain to change to snow at KTRK and KTVL with up
to 3 inches of wet snow possible. Precipitation and terrain
obscuration will spread into western NV Tuesday evening and
Tuesday night, but fewer impacts are expected for locations east
of Highway 95. JCM
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Wind Advisory from 10 AM Tuesday to 4 AM PST Wednesday NVZ001.
Winter Storm Warning from 4 PM Tuesday to 6 PM PST Wednesday
NVZ002.
High Wind Warning from 9 AM to 7 PM PST Tuesday NVZ005.
High Wind Warning from 7 AM to 4 PM PST Tuesday NVZ002.
High Wind Warning from 10 AM to 7 PM PST Tuesday NVZ003.
Wind Advisory from 10 AM to 10 PM PST Tuesday NVZ004.
CA...Winter Weather Advisory from 1 PM Tuesday to 6 PM PST Wednesday
above 5500 feet in CAZ071.
Winter Storm Warning from 4 PM Tuesday to 6 PM PST Wednesday
CAZ072.
High Wind Warning from 9 AM to 7 PM PST Tuesday CAZ070-071.
High Wind Warning from 10 AM Tuesday to 4 AM PST Wednesday
CAZ073.
High Wind Warning from 7 AM to 4 PM PST Tuesday CAZ072.
&&
For more information from the National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/renoThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind, 1 wildfire, 1 winter weather, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds were quite variable across the Truckee Tahoe area. Localized valley gusts to 65 MPH measured near South Lake Tahoe and Floriston, while most valley gusts were 30-50 MPH with gusts 55 MPH at Lake Tahoe buoys.
Widespread gusts 45-55 MPH with a few peak gusts over 60 MPH near Doyle, Susanville, and Loyalton. A wildfire prompted evacuations near Doyle, CA.
Widespread and prolonged intense winds of over 70 MPH observed along Highway 395 in the eastern Sierra, with the most impressive being 92 MPH just south of Topaz Lake near Coleville, CA where a destructive wildfire occurred. Several reports of semi blowovers with Highway 395 closed due to these incidents and the large wildfire near Coleville. Mammoth Mountain summit gusted to 100 MPH.
Mountain View Fire near Walker and Coleville, CA associated with prolonged period of wind gusts over 70 MPH with peak measurement of 92 MPH at a Liberty Utilities mesonet south of Topaz Lake. 20,385 Acres. From media over 90 structures destroyed and one fatality.
Snowfall ranging from 2 to 6.5 inches in the Truckee and Lake Tahoe valley areas.
Reporting 2.12 inches of rain last 24 hours. 1.5 inches of rain reported near Spaulding also in Lassen County.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire, Mono | 2020-11-17 | Unknown | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in California, November 2020
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: 932475, 932476, 932472, 932473, 932478, 932481.