A coastal California Low along with ridging across the intermountain west, produced areas of gusty winds to start the month of May.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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 coastal California Low along with ridging across the intermountain west, produced areas of gusty winds to start the month of May.
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 May 1, 6:00 PM PST, 2 hours 32 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Elko NV 700 PM PDT Mon May 1 2023 .SYNOPSIS...A low pressure system to the west of Nevada is still on track to bring cooler temperatures to the region. Western and north-central Nevada will see scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms during the early evening, while central and northeastern Nevada remain dry with gusty southerly winds and patchy blowing dust. The cooling trend continues through the rest of the week, along with breezy to windy conditions. By the end of the week, look for increasing chances of rain and high elevation snow. && .UPDATE...The blowing dust has subsided and therefore the Advisory has been allowed to expire in Humboldt County. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 432 PM PDT Mon May 1 2023/ SYNOPSIS...A low pressure system to the west of Nevada is still on track to bring cooler temperatures to the region. Western and north-central Nevada will see scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms during the early evening, while central and northeastern Nevada remain dry with gusty southerly winds and patchy blowing dust. The cooling trend continues through the rest of the week, along with breezy to windy conditions. By the end of the week, look for increasing chances of rain and high elevation snow. UPDATE...A Blowing Dust Advisory has been issued for Humboldt County through 7 PM as VIS has been dropping to 1/2 to 1 mile. Products have been updated. PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 137 PM PDT Mon May 1 2023/ SYNOPSIS...A low pressure system to the west of Nevada is still on track to bring cooler temperatures to the region. Western and north-central Nevada will see scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms during the early evening, while central and northeastern Nevada remain dry with gusty southerly winds and patchy blowing dust. The cooling trend continues through the rest of the week, along with breezy to windy conditions. By the end of the week, look for increasing chances of rain and high elevation snow. SHORT TERM...Tonight through Tuesday night. Current synoptic situation out there right consists of an upper level low pressure system spinning off the northwest coast of California while a ridge is off to the east. For the rest of this afternoon, breezy to windy conditions will continue. Wind speeds will be out of the south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 55 mph and a wind advisory has been issued for much of northern and central Nevada. Some of the winds may pick up dust, dropping visibilities down to one mile or less. Some shower activity is possible this afternoon with models showing moisture and instability in northwestern Nevada, across portions of western Humboldt county. Some of the thunderstorms, though isolated, could be strong, producing wind gusts to 60 mph. High temperatures will be in the 70s and 80s. Winds are expected to diminish during the overnight, though some isolated to scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible in western and northwestern Nevada. Overnight lows will be in the 40s for the most part. All models are showing the upper level low to drift to the south and set up shop across central California on Tuesday. This will bring another day of breezy to windy conditions and the windy advisory will continue. Some isolated showers are expected in northwest Nevada but accumulations will be limited. Highs will begin begin to cool as readings are expected to be in the 60s and 70s. LONG TERM...Wednesday through Monday Wednesday through early Thursday the omega blocking pattern will continue to hold across much of the US as amplified ridge over the plains holds firm. This will cause the large upper trough and associated upper level closed low to dig due south along the California coast. The low will be close enough that a few thunderstorms may be possible Wednesday and Thursday across western portions of Humboldt county as SE flow aloft will trigger some lifting against the lee side of the Sierras. However the rest of Nevada will remain dry with a slight cooling trend. Another impact will be gusty southerly winds, although the winds look to remain below advisory levels at this time, should the low track closer to the coast the pressure gradient may drive winds to be stronger that forecast. By Thursday afternoon, the upper ridge will shift a bit allowing the upper low and parent trough to move onshore over central/southern California, then slowly lifting northeastward into the northern Rockies by Saturday. This slow movement will allow for a prolonged precipitation event for Nevada beginning Thursday afternoon across central NV before spreading into northern NV Friday and finally tapering off Saturday afternoon. Look for the precipitation to start as rain for lower elevations and mountain snow with snow levels starting out at around 7500 ft. Thunderstorms will also be possible especially as the upper low moves overhead. Dynamic cooling with the low will act to drop snow levels to as low as 6000 ft Friday with snow levels dropping to around 5500 ft during the overnight hours Friday into Saturday. As for amounts look for around 0.10” to 0.50” of rainfall for the valleys and up to 8” of new snow for the mountain peaks. Models trends have been hinting that the possible QPF may be underdone with this system, as SE flow in the run-up to this event may draw more ample mid level moisture off the Pacific, so will need to watch trends to see if any additional flooding headlines will be needed, given forecast rain amounts. With the passage of this upper trough, Saturday night through Sunday morning looks to be quiet, but the quiet will not last as another shortwave trough will push onshore and over spread NV Sunday evening bringing additional valley rain and mountain snow showers, this shortwave will be followed by the parent upper low Monday, this low looks to be a much colder system which may mean the return of snow for most of NV. Temperature wise the taste of Spring warm weather will be ending with this system pushing through, Wednesday and Thursday highs will be in the 60s to low 70s. However look for highs to drop into the 50s and 60s Friday through the weekend. Overnight lows will be cooling as well but thanks to cloud cover will generally range in the 30s to 40s. The snow melt flooding threat will continue even with the cooler temperatures, as the potential exist for some mid elevation locations will experience rain on snow for a time before snow levels drop. As always Stay away from any flooded areas and do not attempt to cross flooded roadways, creeks, and rivers especially if there is fast moving water. AVIATION...VFR conditions will remain prevalent at all terminals through Thursday under partly cloudy skies. While not forecast to affect terminals today, isolated thunderstorms will be possible this evening for the western vicinity of KWMC, brief heavy rain along with gusty outflow winds being the primary threats. Winds will be strong out of the SW at 25KT to 35KT, with gusts up to 50KT possible. KTPH remains AMD NOT SKED due to site maintenance. HYDROLOGY...Rivers, creeks, and streams continue to experience high flows as record breaking snowpack melts from central and northern Nevada mountains under temperature that are 5 to 15 degrees above normal through Wednesday. Low temperatures are also forecast to stay above freezing, which will help ripen the snow pack and accelerated melting. Flooding concerns will remain heightened through the next several days, though a cooling trend will commence Tuesday as temperatures go back to below normal levels for the rest of the week. Flood Warnings remain in effect for the Humboldt River at Battle Mountain and Comus, Salmon Falls Creek near San Jacinto, the Bruneau river at Rowland and for Marys river Near Deeth. Flood Watch remains in effect for Martin Creek at Paradise Valley. Flood Advisories continue for the Owyhee River near Mountain City, Maggie Creek Near Carlin, and the Humboldt River at Palisade. Additionally, an areal Flood Advisory remains in effect in the Taylor Canyon area along SR226 southeast of Tuscarora. Finally, the areal Flood Watches for many counties continue through Tuesday night. && .LKN Watches/Warnings/Advisories... Flood Watch through late Tuesday night Northern Elko County... Northern Lander County and Northern Eureka County...Northwestern Nye County...Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range...South Central Elko County...Southern Lander County and Southern Eureka County...Southwest Elko County...White Pine County. Wind Advisory until 11 PM PDT Tuesday Northeastern Nye County... Northern Elko County...Northern Lander County and Northern Eureka County...Northwestern Nye County...Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range...South Central Elko County...Southern Lander County and Southern Eureka County...Southwest Elko County...White Pine County. && 90
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 high wind, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Station (TMBN2) Timber Mountain Raws, Elevation 9000 feet.
Station (MTHN2) Mather Raws, Elevation 9268 feet.
Station (MTHN2) Mather Raws, Elevation 9268 feet.
Station (TMBN2) Timber Mountain Raws, Elevation 9000 feet.
Station (TMBN2) Timber Mountain Raws, Elevation 9000 feet.
Station (UR002) MOOR upr, Elevation 5686 feet.
Station (UP991) MOSEL1 upr, Elevation 4582 feet.
Station (CEDN2) Cedar Pass Raws, Elevation 7314 feet.
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, May 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: 1085629, 1085627, 1085628, 1085630, 1085634, 1085633, 1085632, 1086063.