A colder and wetter system brought periods of moderate to heavy snow and breezy conditions to the Sierra, northeast CA, and western NV. Storm total snow across much of the Sierra and the Lake Tahoe basin saw a foot or more of accumulated snow.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 colder and wetter system brought periods of moderate to heavy snow and breezy conditions to the Sierra, northeast CA, and western NV. Storm total snow across much of the Sierra and the Lake Tahoe basin saw a foot or more of accumulated snow. Accumulating snow fell along western Nevada foothills above 5000 with a rain/snow mix for most valleys. Snow levels fell to valley floors after sunrise on Sunday, with scattered snow showers producing quick bursts of snow during the remainder of the day region-wide. Strong winds blasting along higher ridgetops.
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 4, 2:45 AM PST, 4 hours 15 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
245 AM PST Sat Feb 4 2023
.SYNOPSIS...
A winter storm will bring more widespread wind and snow impacts
to the Sierra this evening through Sunday. Some snow impacts are
possible into portions of western Nevada on Sunday as well.
Next week looks to be mainly dry with a cool start, followed by
some warming later in the week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Today will feature increasing clouds and higher elevation winds
with temperatures near seasonal averages, ahead of a fast
approaching storm that will bring rapidly worsening travel
conditions to the Sierra and northeast CA tonight through Sunday.
The highlights of this storm are summarized here:
* WINDS: Increasing south-southwest winds with gusts as high as
100-120 mph along the ridges and gusty winds in the lower
elevations. At this time, Mono and Mineral counties including
the US-395 and US-95 corridors in those respective areas have
the greatest chance for impactful wind gusts of 50-60+ mph,
particularly late tonight/early Sunday morning--leading to
issuance of a Wind Advisory for Mineral County while the winds
for Mono County are included within their existing Winter Storm
Warning. Elsewhere, max gusts look to be in the 35-45 mph range
with brief bursts of higher gusts in wind prone areas.
Increasing winds on Lake Tahoe will produce hazardous chop
several hours prior to the onset of the snow this evening. Winds
will remain brisk through the day Sunday for additional choppy
waters on area lakes.
* HEAVY SNOW/RAIN TONIGHT: The leading edge of the initial snow
area is expected to reach the Sierra crest and western Lassen
County around sunset, with a steady increase in intensity
through the evening. The most intense snowfall rates (2-3"/hour)
will coincide with the cold front passage during the late
night/early morning hours (10 PM-4 AM), with travel strongly
discouraged in the warning and advisory areas. As this front
pushes across western NV, it will produce a period of moderate-
heavy rain during this same time frame (potentially 0.25-0.50"
for the main urban areas and lesser amounts farther east). Then
as colder air arrives, some wet snow will likely mix in (or even
change over to snow) especially near and above 5000 feet,
producing a quick slushy accumulation up to 1" prior to daybreak
Sunday.
* CONVECTIVE SNOW SHOWERS SUNDAY: A secondary cold shortwave
dropping into northern CA will bring unstable conditions and
bands of convective snow showers through much of the day Sunday
mainly for the Sierra/northeast CA, with a few bands extending
into far western NV. The best chance for lightning on Sunday
remains west of the crest (but may be close enough for lightning
alerts at some ski areas). While the heaviest snowfall totals
are expected in the warning and advisory areas, isolated
foothill/mountain range locations in western NV including the
Virginia City area could receive 1-3" of snowfall during the
day Sunday, while accumulations on valley floors will be spotty
1" or less during periods of heavier snow showers. As the shower
activity winds down Sunday evening, paved surfaces that didn't
have enough time to dry out could develop slick icy patches as
temperatures drop below freezing.
Looking to next week, high pressure is expected to return with the
coolest temperatures expected Monday (highs mainly in the
30s-lower 40s), followed by some moderation by mid-late week with
highs closer to seasonal averages near 50 degrees in lower
elevations and lower-mid 40s for Sierra valleys. A weak fast-
moving shortwave may bring light shower activity across northeast
CA/far northwest NV on Wednesday--about 25% of the ensemble
guidance shows this possibility, but the majority of simulations
favor dry conditions. Additional precip chances could return by
later next weekend and through the middle of the month, although
there remains a large variance of possibilities with storm tracks
and precip intensity. MJD
&&
.AVIATION...
* Generally quiet today although winds will begin to increase
across the ridges and become quite strong by late afternoon.
LLWS is likely to develop for Sierra terminals in the afternoon
with gusts at Tahoe area terminals increasing to around 25-30
kts late in the afternoon.
* The main storm arrives in the Sierra this evening and works
through the area overnight-Sunday AM. This will be the period of
most significant impacts, including strong winds, moderate to
occasionally severe turbulence, and heavy precipitation.
Widespread IFR conditions will prevail for Sierra terminals
where a half of foot or more of snow may accumulate. For lower
elevations sites, it will mostly be a moderate to occasionally
heavy rain, but could change over briefly Sunday morning as the
front moves through for a slushy light accumulation, mainly on
exposed surface. An isolated thunderstorm is possible near the
Sierra crest, but better instability for lightning will exist to
the west side.
* Once the front passes through the area, a brisk southwest to
west gradient will keep widespread steady winds of 10-20 kts
with gusts to 30 kts across the eastern Sierra and western NV. A
secondary shortwave will drop south through the area during the
day which will bring a round of snow showers to most areas. Snow
showers will be scattered with heavier showers capable of
dropping CIGS/VSBY to MVFR/IFR conditions, especially in the
Sierra and northeast CA where coverage will be most widespread.
Snow accumulation will continue in the Sierra while lower
elevation airports could see spotty light accumulations,
generally less than one inch.
Hohmann
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Lake Wind Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 PM PST this
evening for Lake Tahoe in NVZ002.
Winter Storm Warning from 7 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Sunday
NVZ002.
Wind Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM PST Sunday NVZ001.
CA...Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 10 PM PST
Sunday CAZ071.
Lake Wind Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 PM PST this
evening for Lake Tahoe in CAZ072.
Winter Storm Warning from 7 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Sunday
CAZ072.
Winter Storm Warning from 7 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Sunday
CAZ073.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 heavy snow, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The public located at the Mount Rose Ski Base reported 24 hour total snowfall of 12.0 inches.
Mesonet stations (SLIDE), Mount Rose summit (DRI), located 1.0 mi ESE of the Mount Rose Summit area, and mesonet station (XWSH-Washoe Lake), located 2.0 mi SSW of New Washoe City, NV, reported maximum wind gusts of 114 mph and 62 mph respectively.
Mesonet station (NV061) Wild Oak mountain located 1.0 SSE of Holbrook Junction, CA, reported a maximum wind gust of 64 mph.
A trained spotter(WA-12) located 1.0 mi NNW of Incline Village, and the public located at the Diamond Peak Ski resort, reported 48-hour total snowfall of 19.5 and 16.0 inches respectively.
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, February 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: 1086069, 1084781, 1084783, 1086070.