A rather warm low pressure system supported by a moderate AR flow (IVT: 400-600 kgm-1s-1) anchored in the eastern Pacific offshore the western US, and initiated a stormy pattern over the region. This system swung multiple short wave troughs into California and Nevada that produced widespread valley rain, higher mountain snow, some periods of freezing rain across northeast California to include…
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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 rather warm low pressure system supported by a moderate AR flow (IVT: 400-600 kgm-1s-1) anchored in the eastern Pacific offshore the western US, and initiated a stormy pattern over the region. This system swung multiple short wave troughs into California and Nevada that produced widespread valley rain, higher mountain snow, some periods of freezing rain across northeast California to include lower valley areas of the Basin and Range, and breezy south-southwest winds. As snow levels dropped over a 48 hour period, moderate to heavy higher elevation snowfall increased travel difficulties over higher Sierra passes from northeast California to the Lake Tahoe Basin.
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 17, 2:03 PM PST, 1 hour 17 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Reno NV 203 PM PST Sun Dec 17 2023 .SYNOPSIS... Haze and air stagnation impacts will continue through today. By early tomorrow, a stormy pattern will bring rain, mixed and icy precipitation, and high- elevation snow through Wednesday. Sierra ridges will see strong gusty winds, and leeside valleys will also see breezes pick up early Monday into early Tuesday. Potential is increasing for additional systems to arrive after Christmas. && .DISCUSSION... Changes in the forecast to highlight this morning: We are seeing about a 20% chance for freezing rain or sleet to arrive early tomorrow before the morning commute to areas in Lassen County (Susanville) and possible even into western Nevada valleys along US-95 (Fallon). The window of opportunity for freezing rain to impact the area will be 3AM to 10AM, which could cause slick roadways for the morning commute. Make plans to get up a bit earlier, whether to check road conditions to see if you should delay, or just to give yourself more time to reach your destination. Roads will become slick with just a bit of rain, so make sure to keep a safe driving distance as well, no matter where you travel. Radar and satellite over the region are beginning to pick up the shower activity along the California coast and into the Central Valley this afternoon. Infrared satellite depicts cold cloud tops moving into NE California, signaling the incoming storm system. As expected this activity will continue to lift toward the Pacific Northwest through Tuesday, possibly lingering into early Wednesday. Another low sits just off the coast, waiting its turn. The secondary low is anticipated to continue to dig south, and finally come ashore near the northern Baja Peninsula later this week. Winds will begin to pick up overnight, and will increase through tomorrow, bringing gusts 60-80 mph to Sierra ridges. Western Nevada valleys could see some 20-30 mph gusts, but limited downsloping winds with this event. They will become more intermittent as the showers spillover, eventually tapering tomorrow night into Tuesday. As mentioned above, precipitation types may fluctuate and cause impacts above 7,000 feet as we start our week tomorrow and rise to near 8,500 feet by early evening. Between these levels, we can expect variable precipitation types, rain/snow mix as well as freezing rain may be possible during tomorrow morning's commute, possibly into late morning for some areas. Below 7,000 feet should see mostly rain, but cannot rule out an isolated cold pocket seeing variable precipitation types as well. Above 8,500 feet should see mostly snow, although southern Mono County could see snow levels as high as 9,000 feet toward tomorrow evening. As such, keep an eye on surfaces for ice accretion and take caution where surfaces become slick. Snow totals for this first round will be greatest for the Sierra in Alpine and Mono counties, with a 60-70% chance for up to 6" above 9,000 feet. For liquid amounts, this translates to about 2" of snow water equivalent in the Sierra. Western Nevada valleys are looking for a 60-70% chance for picking up 0.25" of liquid through Wednesday. Overall, this water will be beneficial to our water year totals, as of now we are around 40% of our December average. We really do have some ground to cover, figuratively and literally. The secondary low mentioned above seems to have slowed in recent ensembles, with the clusters bringing the low's center ashore well south of the Mexico border early Friday. Position and timing will dictate the outcome of our impacts, but NBM blended guidance suggests a 23-30% chance for showers in the Sierra Friday and Saturday. CPC is still highlighting the Sierra for December 25-29 for moderate heavy snow, although recent trends in the cluster analysis is showing a slight ridge pattern setting up just before/during Christmas, so this is still lower in confidence. HRICH && .AVIATION... Valley inversions will hold for the day today, still creating slantwise VIS concerns for KRNO/KMEV/KCXP. South-southwest winds will increase overnight tonight into tomorrow, bringing Sierra ridge gusts 50-70 kts and valleys breezes 15-25 kts by evening. This storm will bring LLWS and mountain wave turbulence through this evening, and mountain obscurations near shower activity through Wednesday. Winds will begin to taper late tomorrow night. HRICH && .AVALANCHE... A warm/wet pair of storms will impact the Sierra starting on Monday continuing through Wednesday afternoon. Snow levels will fluctuate between 7,000 to 8,000 feet, and possibly as high as 9,000 feet. Snow character is heavy/dense with ratios 5-10:1. Ridges will see sustained southwest wind of 35-50 mph with gusts nearing 100 mph on Monday, per GFS/NAM. For the most part ridge gusts look to be 60-80 mph. Guidance shows a likely (60-70%) chances for at least 1" of liquid on Monday and Tuesday for a majority of the Sierra. There is also a likely (>70%) chance for at least 1" of liquid on Wednesday for Sierra locations mostly south of US-50. Snowfall in the eastern Sierra again looks to be maximized south of Tahoe in terrain above 8,000 feet. The guidance is still showing the 25th percentile snowfall 6-18" along the crest with 75th percentile has a big 25-50". So there is still a big boom bust potential. -McKellar && .REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories... NV...None. CA...None. &&
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter located 2.0 mi N of Stewart, NV, reported a 24 hr rainfall storm total of 0.59 inches.
Mesonet stations (MRSN2) located at the Mount Rose Summit (SNOTEL), mesonet station (MRNL2) located 4.4 mi N of Spooner Summit, NV (SNOTEL), and mesonet station (SHEN2) located 5.0 mi NW of Catnip Mountain, NV (SNOTEL) reported 24hr rainfall storm totals of 1.2 inches, 1.0 inches, and 0.6 inches respectively.
Mesonet station (NSPO) located at Spooner Summit, NV (DRI), reported a 24hr rainfall storm total of 0.86 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, December 2023
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: 1152451, 1152452, 1152453.