A stronger winter storm brought another round of heavy snow, strong winds, and travel impacts to Sierra passes 9-11 December. Peak snowfall totals occurred through the period of 10-11 December with 2-4 feet of snow widely reported in Sierra locations and northeast CA.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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 stronger winter storm brought another round of heavy snow, strong winds, and travel impacts to Sierra passes 9-11 December. Peak snowfall totals occurred through the period of 10-11 December with 2-4 feet of snow widely reported in Sierra locations and northeast CA. Storm total snowfall amounts even exceeded 5 feet over parts of the Sierra crest. Several inches of new snow also fell over some western Nevada valleys with a foot plus falling across some eastern Sierra foothill areas as well. Strong winds having gusts 65-75 mph in far western NV resulted in reports of damage across parts of Sparks during the early morning of 10 Dec.
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 Dec 10, 12:56 AM PST, 5 hours 4 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
1256 AM PST Sat Dec 10 2022
.SYNOPSIS...
A significant winter storm is ongoing today, with high confidence in
heavy snowfall and strong winds producing widespread travel impacts
to the Sierra through the weekend. Heavy rain and wind will impact
western Nevada valleys through Saturday with a transition to snow on
Sunday. Plan on well below average temperatures to kick off next
week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
The major winter storm has arrived across the Sierra and NE
California this morning. Plan on several feet of snowfall through
the weekend in the Sierra. Strong, gusty winds impact both the
Sierra and western Nevada today. Spillover rainfall arrives in
western Nevada today. Snow levels will drop to valley floors tonight
into early Sunday with a few inches of accumulating snow possible.
No significant updates to the forecast this morning. All the latest
snow totals are detailed out in the Winter Storm Warnings and
Advisories.
Snow is ongoing in the Sierra early this morning, but the heftier
snow rates are projected to arrive at the I-80 corridor in the
Sierra by this morning. HiRes simulations still target mid-morning
to evening where hourly snowfall rates of 2-3"/hr will be possible.
For Mono County, the heaviest snows are expected by midday today
through tonight. Plan on several feet of snow along the Sierra crest
by Monday. Today's portion of the storm will be heavy, wet Sierra
cement type snow due to the subtropical moisture with snow ratios 8
to 1. Late tonight as colder air pushes into the region snow ratios
will approach values in the 12 or 15 to 1 range. The combination of
gusty winds and heavy snow may produce periods of whiteout/blizzard
conditions due to blowing snow, particularly across wind prone
canyons along US-395 in Mono County down into Mammoth Lakes.
In western Nevada, strong and gusty winds will arrive just ahead of
spillover rainfall this afternoon with wind gusts 45 to 50 mph
possible. Then once spillover rainfall begins, the winds should
taper off quickly. Rain totals of 0.25"-0.50" may produce localized
nuisance flooding for urban and poor drainage areas. Late tonight,
snow levels rapidly drop to western Nevada valley floors with snow
accumulations possible by early Sunday morning. Lower valley amounts
are in the 1-3 inch range, with the Carson Valley at the higher end
of the range and Reno/Sparks closer to the low end. For the Foothill
areas above 5000-5500 feet, 4 to 8 inches will be possible through
Monday.
By Monday morning, there will be lingering snow showers in the
Sierra, especially for Mono County. Otherwise, clearing skies, snow-
covered ground surfaces and a cold air mass behind the storm will
result in some of the coldest temperatures of the season so far.
Tuesday morning low temperatures may only reach the low teens across
western NV valleys. These frigid temperatures will persist through
much of the week with values running about 10 degrees below normal.
Light winds and clear skies will also result in some poor
ventilation for the lower valleys with the return of strong surface
inversions. Ensemble guidance still showing a trough across the
eastern Pacific by late next week. Ensemble simulations vary with
its location and eventual track inland, but there is potential for
more mountain snow to arrive by late Thursday into Friday.
-Edan
&&
.AVIATION...
Winter storm will move through the region today and tonight with
snow lingering into Monday. Mountain waves, low-level wind shear, low
ceilings/visibility and mountain obscurements today.
Peak winds push through the region between 18 UTC today and 06
UTC Sunday, give or take a couple hours. Sierra ridge winds could
peak near 100 kts with peak gusts 35-50 kts in the lower
elevations across western NV. South winds are forecast for RNO
today, a known problem direction for LLWS.
Heavy wet snow in the Sierra with snowfall rates exceeding 2"/hr
for TRK, TVL, and MMH during the 18 UTC today to 06 UTC Sunday
time frame. Snow character will transition to lighter fluffier
snow tonight. Total accumulations of 1-2 feet, perhaps locally
higher.
Across western NV, precipitation type should be rain for most of
today with a transition to snow possible late this evening and
tonight. Rain should get heavy enough to drop ceilings and
visibility into MVFR/IFR. Light snow accumulations are possible
late tonight and early Sunday AM with totals remaining below 3
inches, with higher totals for runways near/above 5000 ft. Brong
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Wind Advisory until 1 PM PST this afternoon NVZ005.
Winter Weather Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 10 AM PST
Sunday NVZ005.
Winter Storm Warning until 4 AM PST Monday NVZ002.
Wind Advisory from 7 AM this morning to 10 PM PST this evening
NVZ001.
Winter Weather Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM PST
Sunday NVZ001.
Wind Advisory from 7 AM this morning to 10 PM PST this evening
NVZ003.
Winter Weather Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM PST
Sunday NVZ003.
Lake Wind Advisory from 7 AM this morning to 10 PM PST this
evening for Pyramid Lake in NVZ004.
CA...Wind Advisory until 1 PM PST this afternoon CAZ070.
Winter Weather Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 10 AM PST
Sunday CAZ070.
Winter Storm Warning until 4 AM PST Monday CAZ071.
Winter Storm Warning until 4 AM PST Monday CAZ072.
Winter Storm Warning from 7 AM this morning to 4 AM PST Monday
CAZ073.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy snow, 2 winter storm, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Mesonet station (NV061) Wild Oak mountain located 1.0 SSE of Holbrook Junction, CA, reported a maximum wind gust of 70 mph.
NWS Employee located 2.0 mi S of Spanish Springs relayed photos of wind damage at a CVS department store. A section of roofing material was torn off. The time of damage was estimated.
The public (retired NWS employee) relayed photos of glass bathroom tiles being blown off. Another report included photos that showed wood fence damage as well as several uprooted small trees. Exact time and location estimated from the report.
The public at Mount Rose Ski Base, Diamond Peak Ski Base, and a trained spotter located 1.0 mi NNW of Incline Village, NV, reported a 24 hour snowfall totals of 48, 42, and 38 inches respectively.
The public (Facebook posting) located at Zephyr Cove, NV, reported a 24 hour snowfall total of 30 inches.
Storey county emergency manager reported via email that he measured 30 inches of accumulated snow that had fallen the previous 24 hours.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, December 2022
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: 1071347, 1071350, 1071353, 1071357, 1071355, 1075917.