Breezy northerly winds behind an exiting cold front spread colder continental air (temps overnight dropped to single digits to teens) into the region. This colder air mass resulted in higher snow rations (1:15-1:20) that produced lighter/powdery snow more prone to blowing and/or drifting.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
Breezy northerly winds behind an exiting cold front spread colder continental air (temps overnight dropped to single digits to teens) into the region. This colder air mass resulted in higher snow rations (1:15-1:20) that produced lighter/powdery snow more prone to blowing and/or drifting. Surface water temperatures also ranged 36 -41 F over the exposed water areas in the days preceding the event. With the marginal CAPE and higher low-level lapse rates, lake effect snow amounts as high as 9-12 swept SW and S over affected areas.
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 Feb 22, 1:27 PM PST, 2 hours 33 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Reno NV 127 PM PST Tue Feb 22 2022 .SYNOPSIS... Scattered snow showers will continue through this evening with localized heavier snows possible from lake effect enhancement near Tahoe and Pyramid Lake. A much colder air mass will be in place for the next few days. Expect some of the coldest low temperatures of the season through early Thursday morning. While no major storms are on the horizon through the start of March, weaker systems could bring additional chances for snow by early next week. && .SHORT TERM... The core of a cold upper level low is currently placed across northern Nevada and has yielded convective snow showers across the region. An enhanced snow band is currently working its way south from about US-50 in the Tahoe Basin to just south of Lahontan Reservoir. Additional spotty snow accumulations of 0.5" to 1.0" will be possible in these areas of scattered showers through this evening before activity begins to wane overnight. Localized areas of lake effect snowfall will also be possible along southern portions of Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake. This low will usher in a cold air mass which will result in higher ratio snows (15:1) or a lighter/powdery snow which could be prone to blowing and drifting. As such, reductions in visibility will be possible through the evening. The cold temperatures could also keep area roads and walkways snow covered and icy. Be sure to check with CalTrans and NDOT for the latest road conditions before heading out. Colder air will continue to filter into the region as our winds increase a bit more from the north. Brisk north winds will be possible through the Chalfant Valley in Mono County and from Walker Lake into Hawthorne and Mina through Wednesday. Expect very cold overnight low temperatures over the next few days, perhaps the coldest of the season thus far. Anticipate widespread teen and single digit lows, with below zero readings in colder Sierra valleys. Overnight lows look to be coldest Wednesday night, especially as skies begin to clear out. High temperatures through Wednesday are unlikely to get out of the 30s, even in the warmest of valleys, with teens and 20s in the mountains. Fuentes .LONG TERM...Thursday through middle of next week... Cooler than average temperatures (although not as chilly as today or Wednesday) will continue through the end of this week as ridge axis remains near the west coast with a weak dry shortwave dropping into the eastern Great Basin and Rockies. This wave will hold daytime highs in the mid-upper 30s for most Sierra valleys and lower 40s for lower elevations through Friday. Nights will be quite cold with lows mainly in the single digits and teens, with colder Sierra valleys (especially those with fresh snow cover) falling below zero. For the weekend, temperatures will trend upward but with limited mixing, highs are only anticipated to push slightly into the 50s for lower elevations by Sunday. A more notable warmup is likely for the early part of next week as southwest flow aloft increases although wind speeds don't look to be that remarkable. What about precip chances? Thursday-Saturday remain dry region- wide, then there's potential for a modest Pacific moisture tap returning Sunday through the middle of next week. Ensemble guidance remains divided with about 30-50% of the members showing some light precip potential around these days. The first precip chance for Sunday into early Monday looks to be sparse with a fast moving shortwave which is more likely to favor the Pacific Northwest, but the scenarios with a more southerly track could produce very light snow for the Sierra and a few rain or snow showers for lower elevations. The available moisture by next Tuesday-Wednesday appears a little more promising (on those wetter ensemble scenarios), although this would be accompanied by a warmer air mass with rising snow levels, potentially up to 7500-8500 feet by Tuesday afternoon on the preliminary blended guidance. MJD && .AVIATION... * Bands of snow showers will continue through early this evening with periodic reduction to IFR/LIFR in heavier showers at all the main terminals except KMMH. The best potential for lake- enhanced bands will affect KCXP-KMEV thru 02-03Z this evening. Any of the shower bands could accumulate an inch or two on paved surfaces, especially as we get closer to sunset. * Overnight, most of the shower bands will diminish, although with surface flow shifting more to the north and northeast, there's a 20-30% probability of narrow lake effect snow bands affecting KTVL (from Tahoe) and even KRNO/KRTS (from Pyramid) between 06Z- 12Z with a sharper transition to IFR conditions. With very cold temperatures in place, anything that falls tonight will stick to runways while the powdery nature of the snow will be prone to blowing/drifting even with less substantial winds (sustained 5-10 kt with gusts around 15 kt). * Improved flying conditions are expected from Wednesday through Saturday, except for increasing potential of late night/morning FZFG starting Wednesday night mainly at KTRK, but KTVL and a few lower elevation sites could also see patchy FZFG with snow cover in place. MJD && .REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories... NV...None. CA...None. && For more information from the National Weather Service visit... http://weather.gov/reno
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service RENO NV 1025 AM PST Tue Feb 22 2022 CAZ070>073-NVZ001>005-231200- Surprise Valley California-Lassen-Eastern Plumas- Eastern Sierra Counties-Greater Lake Tahoe Area-Mono County- Mineral and Southern Lyon Counties-Greater Reno-Carson City- Minden Area-Western Nevada Basin and Range including Pyramid Lake- Northern Washoe County- Including the cities of Cedarville, Eagleville, Fort Bidwell, Portola, Susanville, Westwood, Sierraville, Loyalton, South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City, Truckee, Markleeville, Bridgeport, Coleville, Lee Vining, Mammoth Lakes, Hawthorne, Yerington, Smith Valley, Mina, Schurz, Stateline, Glenbrook, Incline Village, Sparks, Verdi, Gardnerville, Virginia City, Fernley, Fallon, Lovelock, Silver Springs, Nixon, Imlay, Empire, and Gerlach 1025 AM PST Tue Feb 22 2022 ...SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS WITH LAKE EFFECT BANDS POSSIBLE TODAY... ...FRIGID LOW TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK.... * Scattered snow showers continue today as a broad area of low pressure moves overhead. This could also allow lake effect bands to form on the southern side of Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake where localized heavier snowfall rates and accumulations are possible. Most snow showers will begin to taper off tonight. * As a cold air mass moves in, light and powdery snow could be prone to blowing and drifting with reductions in visibility possible. The cold temperatures could also keep area roads and walkways snow covered and icy. Be sure to check with CalTrans and NDOT for the latest road conditions before heading out. * A cold air mass will give us the potential to see some of the coldest temperatures of the season thus far. Anticipate widespread teen and single digit low temperatures, with below zero temperatures in colder Sierra valleys. Overnight lows look to be coldest tonight and Wednesday night, especially Wednesday night as skies begin to clear out. High temperatures through Wednesday are unlikely to get out of the 30s, even in the warmest of valleys, with teens and 20s in the mountains. http://weather.gov/reno
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
1206 PM PST TUE FEB 22 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0713 AM SNOW MT. ROSE SKI BASE 39.32N 119.89W
02/22/2022 M14.0 INCH WASHOE NV PUBLIC
24HR SNOW TOTALS VARY 12 IN TO 14 IN
DEPENDENT UPON LOCATION.
0640 AM HEAVY SNOW 1 SSW NORTHSTAR SKI BAS 39.26N 120.13W
02/22/2022 M13.0 INCH PLACER CA PUBLIC
0709 AM SNOW HEAVENLY SKI BASE 38.93N 119.93W
02/22/2022 M12.0 INCH EL DORADO CA PUBLIC
0740 AM SNOW PALISADES TAHOE SKI BAS 39.19N 120.24W
02/22/2022 M12.0 INCH PLACER CA PUBLIC
OVERNIGHT TOTALS: VILLAGE 6200 - 4IN/ALPINE
LODGE 6835- 7IN/UPPER 8000 - 8IN.
0700 AM SNOW TAHOMA 39.06N 120.13W
02/22/2022 M10.0 INCH EL DORADO CA CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION TAAC1 TAHOMA.
0700 AM SNOW TAHOMA 39.06N 120.13W
02/22/2022 M10.0 INCH EL DORADO CA COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION CA-ED-9 TAHOMA .5 S.
0740 AM SNOW 1 NNW INCLINE VILLAGE 39.27N 119.97W
02/22/2022 M10.0 INCH WASHOE NV TRAINED SPOTTER
0740 AM SNOW 4 NW TRUCKEE 39.36N 120.26W
02/22/2022 M10.0 INCH NEVADA CA PUBLIC
0700 AM SNOW 2 NW MEYERS 38.88N 120.03W
02/22/2022 M8.5 INCH EL DORADO CA COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION CA-ED-20 SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
4.9 SW.
0915 AM SNOW HOMEWOOD MOUNTAIN SKI B 39.09N 120.16W
02/22/2022 M8.0 INCH PLACER CA TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM SNOW 2 N TRUCKEE 39.35N 120.20W
02/22/2022 M7.6 INCH NEVADA CA COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION CA-NV-51 TRUCKEE 1.6 N.
0630 AM SNOW SOUTH LAKE TAHOE 38.94N 119.98W
02/22/2022 E7.0 INCH EL DORADO CA PUBLIC
0630 AM SNOW DIAMOND PEAK SKI BASE 39.25N 119.92W
02/22/2022 M7.0 INCH WASHOE NV PUBLIC
0636 AM SNOW TRUCKEE 39.33N 120.20W
02/22/2022 E6.0 INCH NEVADA CA PUBLIC
0700 AM SNOW 1 SSW BOCA RESERVOIR 39.39N 120.09W
02/22/2022 M5.5 INCH NEVADA CA CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION BOCC1 0.8 S BOCA
RESERVOIR.
0625 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 WNW SUSANVILLE 40.43N 120.75W
02/22/2022 M5.3 INCH LASSEN CA TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM SNOW 3 NNE CARSON CITY 39.21N 119.74W
02/22/2022 M4.5 INCH CARSON CITY NV COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NV-CC-14 CARSON CITY 4.4 N.
0600 AM SNOW 2 W LOVELOCK 40.18N 118.51W
02/22/2022 M4.0 INCH PERSHING NV CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION LOVN2 1.7 W LOVELOCK.
0630 AM SNOW GENOA 39.00N 119.85W
02/22/2022 M3.5 INCH DOUGLAS NV NEWSPAPER
0630 AM SNOW GENOA 39.00N 119.85W
02/22/2022 M3.5 INCH DOUGLAS NV NEWSPAPER
0645 AM SNOW 3 WSW SUN VALLEY 39.59N 119.83W
02/22/2022 E3.0 INCH WASHOE NV PUBLIC
0825 AM SNOW 1 W DOYLE 40.02N 120.12W
02/22/2022 M3.0 INCH LASSEN CA TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 AM SNOW 3 N SPANISH SPRINGS 39.66N 119.71W
02/22/2022 E2.5 INCH WASHOE NV NWS EMPLOYEE
0900 AM SNOW 1 NNE SPANISH SPRINGS 39.64N 119.71W
02/22/2022 M2.5 INCH WASHOE NV CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION SPSN2 1.3 NE SPANISH
SPRINGS.
0700 AM SNOW 3 ESE HEAVENLY VALLEY 38.94N 119.84W
02/22/2022 M2.4 INCH DOUGLAS NV COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NV-DG-23 GARDNERVILLE 5.7
W.
0700 AM SNOW 1 ENE FALLON STATION 39.42N 118.71W
02/22/2022 M2.0 INCH CHURCHILL NV TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM SNOW MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN SKI BA 37.65N 119.04W
02/22/2022 M2.0 INCH MONO CA PUBLIC
0730 AM SNOW 1 E SPANISH SPRINGS 39.62N 119.70W
02/22/2022 M2.0 INCH WASHOE NV NWS EMPLOYEE
0745 AM SNOW 1 N SPAULDING 40.66N 120.78W
02/22/2022 M2.0 INCH LASSEN CA TRAINED SPOTTER
0930 AM SNOW 1 WSW DIAMOND PEAK SKI 39.25N 119.94W
02/22/2022 M2.0 INCH WASHOE NV CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION INVN2 1.2 E INCLINE
VILLAGE.
0630 AM SNOW DAYTON 39.24N 119.58W
02/22/2022 E1.5 INCH LYON NV PUBLIC
0700 AM SNOW 2 NE SPARKS 39.56N 119.72W
02/22/2022 M1.5 INCH WASHOE NV COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NV-WH-17 SPARKS 1.6 NE.
0815 AM SNOW 3 NE SPANISH SPRINGS 39.65N 119.69W
02/22/2022 M1.5 INCH WASHOE NV TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM SNOW 1 S JOHNSON LANE 39.04N 119.72W
02/22/2022 M1.3 INCH DOUGLAS NV COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NV-DG-2 MINDEN 6.0 NNE.
0600 AM SNOW VERDI 39.52N 119.99W
02/22/2022 M1.2 INCH WASHOE NV COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NV-WH-19 RENO 9.0 W.
0600 AM SNOW MINDEN 38.95N 119.78W
02/22/2022 M1.0 INCH DOUGLAS NV CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION MINN2 MINDEN.
0700 AM SNOW 1 S STEAD 39.62N 119.88W
02/22/2022 M1.0 INCH WASHOE NV CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION STDN2 1.2 S STEAD.
0700 AM SNOW 7 NNE WASHOE CITY 39.42N 119.78W
02/22/2022 M1.0 INCH WASHOE NV COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NV-WH-39 RENO 8.4 SSE.
0700 AM SNOW 2 S CARSON CITY 39.15N 119.77W
02/22/2022 M1.0 INCH CARSON CITY NV CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION CRCN2 1.6 S CARSON
CITY.
0800 AM SNOW VIRGINIA CITY 39.31N 119.65W
02/22/2022 M1.0 INCH STOREY NV CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION VRCN2 VIRGINIA CITY.
0800 AM SNOW 3 E STEAD 39.64N 119.83W
02/22/2022 M1.0 INCH WASHOE NV COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NV-WH-165 RENO 7.1 N.
0800 AM SNOW 12 NNE COLD SPRINGS VAL 39.85N 119.93W
02/22/2022 M1.0 INCH WASHOE NV COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NV-WH-164 RENO 22.1 NNW.
0800 AM SNOW 4 ENE VERDI 39.53N 119.92W
02/22/2022 M1.0 INCH WASHOE NV COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NV-WH-105 RENO 5.4 W.
0800 AM SNOW 1 WSW CARSON CITY 39.17N 119.77W
02/22/2022 M1.0 INCH CARSON CITY NV COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NV-CC-21 CARSON CITY 2.1
NW.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The public in Sparks, NV north to Spanish Springs, NV reported 24hr heavy snowfall over their respective areas, with 5-7 of snow in and around Sparks with snowfall amounts at various points E and NE of Spanish Springs, NV ranging 6 -12 .
NV side Lake Tahoe area ski resorts (Diamond-Peak Ski Base/MT. Rose Ski Base) reported 24 hour storm total snow amounts ranging 11-20.
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, February 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: 1004000, 1004001.