A pair of storms pushed into the Sierra on Friday night, with periods of rain, high elevation snow, and gusty winds persisting into early the following week. High confidence followed for additional snow accumulations above 6500 feet, that included impacts to the Sierra passes overnight Friday into Saturday.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 pair of storms pushed into the Sierra on Friday night, with periods of rain, high elevation snow, and gusty winds persisting into early the following week. High confidence followed for additional snow accumulations above 6500 feet, that included impacts to the Sierra passes overnight Friday into Saturday. Liquid water totals Friday PM through Sunday AM ranged from 0.20 to 0.75 inches along the eastern Sierra crest of Mono County to 0.60 to 2.00 inches farther north. Spillover precipitation east of the crest was limited with this storm, with 0.50 to 0.75 inches in the Tahoe Basin and a few hundredths to 0.50 inches along Highway 395. This equated to 8-16 inches of snowfall along the Sierra crest of Mono County to 8-18 inches along the crest farther north towards the Lake Tahoe basin. Although there was a lack of a significant wind signal during the period of both storms, ridge winds around the area still managed to approach 80+ mph. Otherwise, locally breezy conditions prevailed.
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 Jan 20, 2:30 AM PST, 5 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
230 AM PST Sat Jan 20 2024
.SYNOPSIS...
A pair of winter storms will bring periods of rain, mountain snow,
and gusty winds over the weekend and into early next week. Prepare
for slick roadways and slower travel through Sierra passes. A quick
storm will renew shower chances for Wednesday. The final week of the
month is favored to be mild and drier.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Latest radar observations reveal ongoing scattered showers moving
into the Sierra and portions of western Nevada. Snow levels have
been holding steady between 6000 and 7000 feet in the last 6-8 hours
per radar profilers. Rain and snow showers are expected to increase
a bit in coverage and intensity across the Sierra through the early
morning hours, although the heaviest precipitation rates will arrive
this evening after around 6-7 PM PDT. Expect steady rain and high
elevation snowfall tonight before winding down Sunday morning.
Snow totals through Sunday along the Sierra crest will vary from 8-
16" around/north of the Tahoe Basin with some localized amounts up
to 2 feet possible. Meanwhile, Sierra snow accumulation in Alpine
and Mono counties will reach 6-14" with locally greater amounts up
to 20" along the higher Sierra peaks. Lower elevation Sierra
communities, specifically within the broad 5500-7000 feet elevation
belt, will struggle in seeing more than just a few inches of
snowfall as the rain-snow line oscillates within this elevation
range. The most likely outcome is for 1-4" of total snow through
Sunday with a sub-20% chance of receiving 6" of snow in a "boom"
scenario. Nevertheless, slick roadways and slower travel through
Sierra passes will be possible over the weekend.
Rainfall in western Nevada will be quite limited with this storm as
the greatest forcing for ascent remains well northwest of the
region. As such, best spillover potential will favor areas north of
the I-80 corridor where 0.1-0.3" of rain is possible. Meanwhile,
areas south of I-80, including the Greater Reno-Carson City- Minden
area, will only see up to 0.1" of rain, if any at all.
A brief reprieve in the unsettled weather will ensue Sunday evening
as the upper trough lifts/weakens, leaving behind only a few light
showers in the Sierra. Our next storm arrives late Sunday/early
Monday, providing another round of gusty winds, rain and high
elevation snow through early Tuesday. Snow levels will once again
be quite high, remaining above 6000 feet throughout the duration
of this storm. With this storm assuming a more southerly
trajectory, the better snowfall totals and coverage will favor
higher terrain around the Tahoe Basin south to Alpine and Mono
counties where 8-16" is likely. Localized totals to 20" are
possible, though chances of reaching 2 feet of snow through
Tuesday is below 20%. this storm will be more efficient in
spillover rainfall with western Nevada valleys seeing up to 0.25"
of rain. Shower activity will wane Tuesday morning and taper off
in the afternoon.
For midweek and beyond, a quick-moving system may promote some
showers and increased breezes on Wednesday into Thursday. However,
rain and snow totals appear to be on the lighter side with this
storm. Ensembles remain keen on a warmer and drier than normal
end to the month, though there is still some uncertainty in the
long term forecast.
-Salas
&&
.AVIATION...
Periods of rain and snow showers will reduce CIGS/VIS at Sierra
terminals, occasionally yielding MVFR/IFR conditions. While little
to no rainfall will reach Sierra Front terminals, lower cloud bases
will result in occasional mountain top obscuration. Robust FL100
winds of 35-45 kts amid light surface winds will yield periods of
LLWS for all terminals before southerly surface winds strengthen
in the late morning and afternoon.
-Salas
&&
.AVALANCHE...
* CHANGES: Latest guidance has trended snow levels a skosh lower,
dropping down into the 5500-6000 ft. range through Sunday
morning. Have reflected this update in the snow section below.
Otherwise, the forecast remains on track.
* WINDS: 1) Today: South-Southwest winds 10-20 mph with gusts up
to 40 mph. Wind gusts for elevations above 9,000 feet may reach
60-80 mph. 2) Sunday-Monday: Southwest winds 10-20 mph with
gusts up to 40 mph.
* SNOW: 1) Today: Snow levels begin around 6000-6500 ft with snow
ratios near 9-12:1, lowering to near 5500-6500 ft with snow
ratios increasing to 11-13:1. For areas above 8000 feet, there
is a 75% chance of at least 12" of snow with this storm. 2)
Sunday-Monday: Snow levels around 6000-7000 ft with snow ratios
near 9-12:1, increasing to 7000-7500 ft Monday afternoon. Plan
on another 1-2+ feet for elevations above 8000 feet with this
second storm.
* SWE: Along the Sierra crest for today: 1.5-2.25". Lower scenario
(25th percentile) 1.0-1.5" and higher scenario (75th percentile)
2.5-3.0". For Sunday-Monday: 1.8-2.25". Lower scenario (25th
percentile) 1.0-1.25" and higher scenario (75th percentile) 2.5-
3.5".
* TEMPERATURE: Temperatures will be running near to slightly above
mid-January averages. Temperatures across Sierra ridgelines will
generally be 20s to around 30 through the event.
-Salas/Justin
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST Sunday NVZ002.
Winter Storm Watch from Sunday afternoon through late Monday
night NVZ002.
CA...Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST Sunday CAZ072-073.
Winter Storm Watch from Sunday afternoon through late Monday
night CAZ072-073.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 heavy snow, 1 winter weather, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The public located 3.0 mi WSW of the Mount Rose Summit reported 24 hour storm total snowfall of 6.0 inches.
The public located 3.0 mi WSW of the Mount Rose Summit reported 24 hour storm total snowfall of 6.0 inches.
Mesonet station (SLIDE-DRI) located 0.9 mi E of Mount Rose Summit reported a peak wind gust of 73 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, January 2024
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: 1166000, 1193453, 1166001.