Nevada, 2024

Heavy Snow and High Wind in Nevada, December 13 to 15, 2024

December 13 to 15, 2024 · NWS REV · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

This second warmer, and wetter, in a trio of modest storm systems began to impact the Sierra the afternoon of the 13th, and continued through the 14th. It produced its share of travel impacts with periods of heavy snowfall with snowfall accumulation of 15-20 inches through the evening of the 14th.

Where it happened

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.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS REV wrote it up.

This second warmer, and wetter, in a trio of modest storm systems began to impact the Sierra the afternoon of the 13th, and continued through the 14th. It produced its share of travel impacts with periods of heavy snowfall with snowfall accumulation of 15-20 inches through the evening of the 14th. Although there was elevated uncertainty, lower elevation Sierra communities were impacted by 3-6 inches of snow in some areas. An increasing trend for enhanced precipitation shadowing favored the development of stronger winds across eastern Sierra into western Nevada. Overall odds pointed toward a 60% chance for winds gusting in excess of 50 mph.

What forecasters said that day

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 13, 3:07 PM PST, 6 hours 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 13, 3:07 PM PST, 6 hours 33 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 high wind, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Greater Reno/Carson City/Minden Area

When
December 13, 9:40 PM PST to December 14, 1:00 AM PST
Where
Greater Reno/Carson City/Minden Area forecast zone
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
39.511, -119.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A mesonet station (NV052 South Verdi) located 2.0 mi SSE of Verdi, NV, and mesonet station (NV065-Sheridan) located 5.0 mi SE of Heavenly Valley, NV, reported peak wind gusts of 70 mph and 68 mph respectively.

Heavy Snow, Greater Lake Tahoe Area

When
December 14, 7:00 AM PST to December 15, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Greater Lake Tahoe Area forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.789, -119.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A trained spotter located at Incline Village, the public located at the Diamond Peak Ski Base, and the public located at the Mount Rose Ski Base reported 24 hour storm total snowfall amounts of 22.0 inches, 29 inches, and 30.0 inches respect.

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Nevada in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, December 2024

Sources

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: 1229657, 1229658.