A cold front brought active weather into parts of northern California and western Nevada mostly north of US-50 during this period. A 15-20% chance for isolated thunderstorms A narrow band of showers along a cold front passage overnight Friday into Saturday morning was followed by a 15-20% chance for isolated thunderstorms Saturday afternoon.
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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 cold front brought active weather into parts of northern California and western Nevada mostly north of US-50 during this period. A 15-20% chance for isolated thunderstorms A narrow band of showers along a cold front passage overnight Friday into Saturday morning was followed by a 15-20% chance for isolated thunderstorms Saturday afternoon. Then intermittent bands of valley rain/mountain snow showers followed later Saturday night through early Sunday morning.
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 Sep 29, 12:15 PM PST, 9 hours 45 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
115 PM PDT Fri Sep 29 2023
.SYNOPSIS...
Some haze and smoke from the Quarry Fire will impact some areas of
the Eastern Sierra and portions of southern Lyon and Mineral
counties today. Increased southwesterly winds are expected this
afternoon ahead of a cold front passage, with cooler temperatures
and rain/snow showers following this weekend. A warmer, drier trend
returns early next week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
A cold front will bring more active weather to our region today into
this weekend. Here are details:
* WINDS: Increased southwesterly winds will precede the cold front
passage today, with ridge winds already on an upward trend this
afternoon. Gusty winds will mix down to lower western NV valleys
between 1-4 PM, with gusts 25-35 mph expected into the late
evening.
* SMOKE: These increased southwesterly winds will allow smoke from
the Quarry Fire in Tuolumne county to push east of the Sierra
crest this afternoon. This will lead to periods of deteriorating
air quality across the Eastern Sierra and far western NV south of
US-50. For up-to-date air quality information, visit airnow.gov.
* PRECIP: A precipitation band will accompany the frontal passage
late this evening, spreading eastward through the early morning
hours. Scattered convective showers will develop behind the front
early Saturday morning, continuing through the remainder of the
day. Daytime heating will invigorate stronger cells during the
afternoon hours, with some isolated thunderstorms possible,
generally a 15-20% chance regionwide.
* PRECIP TYPE: Snow levels begin around 8500-9000 feet with the
initial onset of precipitation late tonight, dropping to
8000-8500 feet mid-Saturday morning. A majority of total
precipitation from this event will fall during the day on
Saturday, which will limit snow accumulations as many surfaces
are still bare and relatively warm given the September sun
angle. Regardless, those heading into the backcountry as well as
travelers on high Sierra passes (including Tioga and Sonora)
should be prepared for 1-3" of snow above 8kft, perhaps up to
6-10" inches on the highest peaks of the Eastern Sierra
(generally above 10kft). Below 8kft, expect precip to fall as
rain, with accumulations generally between 0.1-0.25".
A drying and warming trend will begin Monday as a ridge gradually
builds into the western US. Temperatures will rebound closer to
seasonal averages by Wednesday, as highs reach the mid 70s across
lower western NV valleys and the mid to upper 60s for Sierra
communities. Whitlam
&&
.AVIATION...
Enhanced SW winds today will push smoke from the Quarry Fire east of
the Sierra crest this afternoon. High-res smoke guidance indicates
this will likely be a concentrated, narrow plume extending east over
Alpine-northern Mono county into southern Lyon-Mineral counties.
This may lead to periods of decreased slantwise visibility over this
region, with some haze possible in the vicinity of KHTH.
Otherwise, expect increased SW winds across the region this
afternoon, with gusts 20-25 kts for all regional terminals. High
clouds will begin to build this afternoon ahead of a cold front
passage, with CIGS lowering overnight. Intermittent bands of rain
showers will follow the frontal passage from 06Z tonight through 12z
Sunday, which may lead to some periods of MVFR conditions from
lowering CIGS/VIS in heavier showers. There is also a 15-20% chance
for thunder for all main terminals on Saturday afternoon, mainly
between 20-03z. Whitlam
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...None.
CA...Winter Weather Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 8 PM PDT
Sunday above 8000 feet for CAZ073.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A mesonet station (LVYN2-Little Valley) located 2.0 mi ESE of Diamond Peak Ski resort reported a storm total rainfall amount of 0.55 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, September 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: 1143015.