A Low tracked south into southern California and eventually southwest Arizona. This produced windy conditions, and several inches of snow in Nevada.
Every event with a place to put it; 17 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 Low tracked south into southern California and eventually southwest Arizona. This produced windy conditions, and several inches of snow in 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 Elko, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 12, 3:13 PM PST, 8 hours 47 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Elko NV 313 PM PST Fri Feb 12 2021 .SYNOPSIS...Another system moves in later this evening with snow down to all valleys late this evening through Saturday evening. Gusty NW winds may lead to drifting of snow in some higher elevation locations. Generally dry on Sunday, however another system will bring more valley rain and mountain snow to the region Sunday night through Tuesday afternoon. && .SHORT TERM...Today through Monday Night. A few light showers continue to linger here higher elevation areas across Elko County going into the early but for the most part dry conditions prevail over much of the CWA this afternoon. The second in a series of Pacific winter systems will start impacting Humboldt County later this evening but then spread east an southeast northern and central Nevada overnight into Saturday morning. Valley areas in Humboldt County should see mainly rain or a mix of rain/snow at some upper valley locations. The remainder of the northern and central NV valley areas higher than around 4500-5500 feet should receive snow through Saturday evening. The Winter Weather Advisories remain in effect from 10 PM through 10PM Saturday. But White Pine County has been added to the mix of advisories into Saturday evening. Still confident that periods of moderate to heavy snow in the Ruby mountains will occur so the Winter Storm Watch was upgraded to a Warning to reflect current guidance. Froude numbers over and just upstream of the Ruby and Northern Elko County mountains continue to show blocking over those higher elevation areas through Saturday morning. Therefore current guidance is consistent with the heavier precipitation over those terrain favored higher elevations areas above 7000’ so no adjustments to QPF and snow amounts in those areas. Current Hi-Res model guidance does not at this time show any indication that this system is tapping into the far colder air mass north of the CWA so snowfall amounts below 4500-550 feet were lowered to reflect current NBM guidance and slightly higher snow levels. Will continue to monitor snow amounts over valley areas since model guidance continues to encourage higher snowfall totals across northern Nevada. Passes and summits along US 50 form Austin to Great Basin National Park could still see 3 to 6 inches of accumulating snow. Moderate to strong northwest winds will be an issue with this system, generally late morning Saturday through Saturday evening. Blowing and drifting of snow are likely in areas prone to stronger NW winds such as higher summits and mountains, south and eastern slopes of mountains including Ruby and Clover Valleys east of the Ruby Mountains. West Wendover could see wind gusts 25-35 mph later Saturday afternoon as the cold frontal boundary exits into western Utah. But drifting of snow is not likely as a mix of rain and snow, not all snow, will move across the area. Northern Nye County and parts of Humboldt County could still see breezy to locally windy conditions. A Special Weather Statement will be issued to cover these areas. But if guidance shows a different solution, a wind advisory could still be issued for Tonopah and the rest of Northern Nye County for Saturday afternoon and evening. So this area will continued to be monitored For the most part dry Saturday night and Sunday. The next system to impact the region will reach Humboldt County Sunday evening, with snow Sunday night across the entire CWA. Snow levels likely rise on Monday, with many valley areas seeing rain or a rain snow mix. Showers change back to all snow Sunday evening and continue through Monday. Snow showers will continue through Monday evening before tapering off overnight. AY .LONG TERM...Monday Night though next Friday. Monday Night Through Tuesday...The system mentioned in the short term weakens and departs by Monday night with the frontal boundary over southern NV and UT by Tuesday morning. Regardless, the WNW flow behind the front keeps snowfall going on the upslope sides of eastern NV mountains through the day, especially in northern Elko county, closer to a 500mb trof that passes through southern ID. All told, mtns could easily pick up a foot or more by Tuesday afternoon, particularly the Rubies. Not expecting much precip in the valleys Tuesday but cloud cover will persist all day. Wednesday...500mb ridge builds along the west coast, turning the upper level flow northerly over the area. In fact, 170kt north to south jet max is right over the CWA. This setup should allow colder air to filtrate from the north, dropping high temperatures back a few degrees, with the coldest overnight lows during the long term Wednesday night before cloud increases. Thursday through next Friday...Early Thursday, the ridge axis breaks down as it passes through as frontal system impact Pacific NW. This system either lifts a warm front over northern Nevada Thursday or drives right through the ridge into the CWA Thursday night. WPC is leaning with the warm front lifting north. Ensemble means keep the best precip chances north of I-80 Thursday. Snow levels remain a challenge given the different solutions. This also applies the high temperature which could push in the 50s if the warm front lifts north. By next Friday evening, the cold front associated with the warm front should push through the CWA. This setup pushes high temperatures in the 50s for many places as the surface winds increase out of the south ahead of the front. && .AVIATION...Generally dry conditions through this evening, before the next, stronger system moves into the state overnight. IFR and lower cloud decks and vis with widespread mountain obscuration will be the norm with this system, except for KTPH where strong post-system NW winds are the main impact. Icing is an issue across NV with the passage of this system so see the aviation weather center forecasts. Although snow/rain ends by Saturday afternoon, MVFR/IFR CIGs continue through Saturday evening. && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Saturday for Northern Elko County-Northern Lander County and Northern Eureka County-South Central Elko County-Southern Lander County and Southern Eureka County-Southwest Elko County-White Pine County. Winter Storm Warning from 10 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Saturday for Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range. && 97/85/85
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 high wind, 7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Nine inches fell at SNOTEL station Lamance Creek (LMCN2), Elevation 6394 feet.
Fifteen inches fell at SNOTEL station Big Creek Summit (BCSN2), Elevation 8695 feet.
Thirteen inches fell at SNOTEL station Bear Creek (BERN2), Elevation 8040 feet.
Twelve inches fell at SNOTEL station Pole Canyon (POLN2), Elevation 7700 feet.
Sixteen inches fell at SNOTEL station Jack Creek Upper (JCUN2), Elevation 7250 feet.
Twelve inches fell at SNOTEL station Hole-In-Mountain (HIMN2), Elevation 7900 feet.
Twenty inches fell at SNOTEL station Jacks Peak (JAPN2), Elevation 8220 feet.
Station (CMP26) Warm Springs Summit, Elevation 7549 feet.
Station (KTPH) Tonopah Airport Asos, Elevation 5425 feet.
Station (LONN2) Long Hollow Raws, Elevation 5819 feet.
Station (UP972) 3.2 E Beowawe (UPR), Elevation 4735 feet.
Station (RSCN2) Rock Spring Creek Raws, Elevation 5427 feet.
Station (UR011) 7.8 N Oasis, Elevation 6025 feet.
Station (RBYNV) 4.1 SW Ruby Valley (nv dot), Elevation 6213 feet.
Station (WSPNV) 6.3 S Clover Valley (nv dot), Elevation 5794 feet.
Station (RLKN2) Ruby Lake Raws, Elevation 5970 feet.
Station (RBVN2) Ruby Valley Raws, Elevation 6899 feet.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, February 2021
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: 938191, 938192, 938199, 938203, 938206, 938207, 938208, 938185, 938182, 938180, 938186, 938178, 938187, 938177, 938188, 938189, 938176.