A quick-moving ridge caused strong southwest gusty winds and areas of blowing dust, rain, and mountain snows across the CWA.
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 quick-moving ridge caused strong southwest gusty winds and areas of blowing dust, rain, and mountain snows across the CWA.
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 May 16, 2:29 PM PST, 10 hours 31 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Elko NV 329 PM PDT Sat May 16 2020 .SYNOPSIS...Warm on Sunday with breezy to windy conditions. Precipitation begins over NW NV later on Sunday and expands eastward into early next week, with moderate valley rains over much of northern and west-central NV, lighter amounts across eastern NV. Cooler on Monday with windy conditions over mainly east- central NV. && .SHORT TERM...Tonight through Tuesday. An upper level low moves in along the west coast on Sunday, which will keep warm southwesterly flow over northern and central NV. Winds will become breezy to windy on Sunday with some areas of blowing dust likely. A wind advisory has been issued for central NV locations as well as portions of northeastern NV for Sunday. As the west coast low begins to move onshore later on Sunday, rain will return to far western portions of Humboldt County. Sunday night into Monday cooler and wetter conditions expand further eastward into NV, however eastern portions of NV will remain dry. Windy conditions are expected on Monday across much of east-central NV which will likely be a little stronger than the winds on Sunday. Have issued a High Wind Watch for northeastern Nye and White Pine Counties for Monday. Behind the frontal boundary temperatures continue to lower Monday night into early Tuesday with high elevation snowfall along with more valley rains. .LONG TERM...Tuesday through next Saturday. Amplified strong cold trough will be over eastern Nevada Tuesday morning. Diabatic cooling from any moderate showers have the potential to lower snow levels to near 6K feet for mixed rain and snow potential near mountain bases and high valleys (e.g., Lamoille, Ely and Eureka.) Tuesday could be quite chilly given the extensive cloud cover and rain/snow cooled air mass in the post frontal environment. While the main elongated trough pushes eastward toward the central Rockies, the cold core upper low could track over northeast Nevada Wednesday morning. This keeps the air mass cool and unsettled for an additional day. Marginal instability exists both days for a few afternoon thunderstorms and possibly small hail. Much of the northern/central Nevada will receive substantial precipitation, expect along US93 and eastward. With respect to snow, significant snow accumulations are possible above 8K feet, and the highway summits could have slick spots at night. Thursday will be a respite between weather systems, although some light showers may linger toward Wildhorse and Jackpot. The next closed low impacts the region Friday and Saturday, although this trough will be less amplified with the cold core staying north of Nevada. Jet shear axis may move south of the northern NV border and the northern mountains get another round of mixed rain/snow showers. && .AVIATION...Gusty winds develop at all TAF sites after 15Z Sunday, particularly KTPH and KELY where gusts reach 35kts for increasing mechanical turbulence. VFR prevail through the forecast period. && .FIRE WEATHER...A deep upper level low moves in along the west coast on Sunday, resulting in breezy to windy conditions across most of northern and central NV ahead of an approaching cold front. Low RHs and gusty winds will combine with critical fuels across zone 426 on Sunday. As the cold front drifts further east across NV Sunday night into Monday RHs will also increase from west to east, with rain moving into western NV. Winds will be strong across east-central NV again on Monday, however RHs are expected to rise above critical levels in most locations. Driest areas Monday afternoon will be valleys areas of far eastern NV. Isolated thunderstorms are also possible on Monday, with best chances along the frontal boundary in the afternoon hours which will generally extend from NW Nye county, northeast across southern Lander and Eureka counties and up through central and eastern Elko County. Cooler temperatures Monday through Wednesday, with wetting rains likely across much of western and north-central NV. A little light rain is possible early next week across east- central NV locations, as well as far north-eastern Elko County. && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory from 2 PM to 10 PM PDT Sunday for Northeastern Nye County-Northwestern Nye County-Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range-South Central Elko County-Southeastern Elko County- Southern Lander County and Southern Eureka County-White Pine County. High Wind Watch from Monday morning through Monday evening for Northeastern Nye County-White Pine County. Red Flag Warning from 11 AM to 10 PM PDT Sunday for Northern Nye County-Mojave. && 96/88/88/96
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 high wind, 4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Station Mather (MTHN2), Elevation 9268 feet.
Timber Mountain (TMBN2), Elevation 9000 feet.
Timber Mountain (TMBN2), Elevation 9000 feet.
Station Mather (MTHN2), Elevation 9268 feet.
Alligator Ridge (ALLN2), Elevation 6675 feet.
DNEP8 4.3 E Baker, Elevation 5185 feet.
Tonopah Airport (KTPH), Elevation 5426 feet.
Ten inches fell at Pole Creek (PRSN2), Elevation 8330 feet.
Nineteen inches fell at Jacks Peak (JAPN2), Elevation 8420 feet.
Sixteen inches fell at Bear Creek (BERN2), Elevation 8040 feet.
Eight and three tenths inches fell at station Tonopah (TNPN2), Elevation 6010 feet.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, May 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: 881566, 881567, 881718, 881719, 881720, 881740, 882337, 882339, 882340, 882341, 882338.