Isolated shower and thunderstorm chances returned 20 July, and remained mostly south of Highway 50 with Mono-Mineral Counties being the focal points for activity. High-resolution ensemble guidance also showed the best chances for showers and thunderstorms mostly south of highway 50.
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.
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.
Isolated shower and thunderstorm chances returned 20 July, and remained mostly south of Highway 50 with Mono-Mineral Counties being the focal points for activity. High-resolution ensemble guidance also showed the best chances for showers and thunderstorms mostly south of highway 50. Simulations projected a 30-40% chance for isolated showers and a few storms that would initiate mostly across Mono, southern Lyon, and Mineral counties around 1-2PM. There was also a chance (10-20%) that one or two storms would push northeast into eastern Churchill County as well. Storms quickly tapered off in the evening after sundown. Afternoon west-southwest breezes of 20-30 mph were expected to be slightly enhanced in the vicinity of developing storms. The usual storm related culprits of copious lightning, as well as gusty and erratic outflows accompanied storms across the area.
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 Jul 20, 12:17 PM PST, 11 hours 44 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Reno NV 117 PM PDT Sat Jul 20 2024 .SYNOPSIS... * Heat continues into early next week with triple digit highs expected for western Nevada valleys. * Increased storm chances this afternoon across the E.Sierra. Heavy rain with isolated flash flood potential mainly across area burn scars south of US-50. * Daily thunderstorm chances continue through early next week. Elevated fire weather concerns possible across far NE CA and NW NV Sunday afternoon. && .DISCUSSION... HEAT: * Temperatures will continue to run 4-8 degrees above mid to late July averages this weekend. This will yield high temperatures around 100 degrees across western Nevada valleys and upper 80s to near 90 for Sierra communities. * Overnight lows will remain mild as well (10 degrees above avg), with W.Nevada valleys only cooling into the upper 60s to low 70s. This will result in ares of moderate to major HeatRisk so be sure sure to take all your necessary heat precautions. THUNDERSTORMS THIS WEEKEND: * Afternoon heating and mid-level moisture should be sufficient to trigger afternoon thunderstorms with the best coverage expected across the eastern Sierra south of US-50. Ample moisture aloft (PWAT >0.75") and modest storm motions could yield areas of heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding, mainly for burn scar areas across E.Alpine, Mono, Douglas, and S.Lyon counties. * Shower and thunderstorm coverage north of US-50 will be in a bit of a drier environment which could be more prone to strong and gusty outflow winds. DCAPES of 1500-2000 J/kg could produce strong outflow winds in excess of 60 mph which could result in areas of reduced visibility in blowing dust if these outflows move across desert sinks and dry lake beds. * As moisture infiltrates farther northward on Sunday, storm chances will increase across the Sierra Front into portions of E.Modoc and far northern Washoe county. These storms should maintain elevated cloud bases and storm motions >20 knots so the threat of isolated dry lightning strikes and new fire ignitions will remain present through Sunday. OUTLOOK NEXT WEEK: * Above average heat with triple digits highs across western Nevada valleys looks to persist through the middle of next week before temperatures cool back towards season normals. * Our above average heating will allow for daily chances of afternoon showers and thunderstorms to continue at least through Wednesday. Then a drier southwest flow associated with a shortwave trough will attempt to push in around the Thursday timeframe. As this shortwave nudges inland it could yield in an increase to our southwest winds. Fuentes && .AVIATION... * Afternoon showers and thunderstorm chances will prevail across the E.Sierra and far W.Nevada terminals today after 21z. 30-40% chances across KTVL and KTRK with 20-30% chances for KRNO, KCXP, KMEV and 40-50% chances across KMMH. These storms will be capable of brief periods of MVFR/IFR conditions with periods of heavy rainfall, small hail, and frequent lightning at times. * Strong and gusty outflow winds are possible this afternoon which could send strong outflows across basin and range terminals including KLOL, KNFL, and KHTH. Outflows in excess of 50kts could result in sudden reductions to visibility due to areas of blowing dust downwind of desert sinks and dry lake beds. * Daily afternoon shower/storm chances will continue into the first half of next week with the best potential existing south of US-50. Drier air will then attempt to move in for the second half of next week. Fuentes && .REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories... NV...Heat Advisory until 8 PM PDT Monday NVZ004-005. CA...None. &&
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Reno NV
1142 PM PDT Sat Jul 20 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0937 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 13 ESE Empire 40.50N 119.12W
07/20/2024 M59 MPH Pershing NV Mesonet
Mesonet station BLUN2 Bluewing Mountain.
0939 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 ESE Lake City 41.62N 120.16W
07/20/2024 M53 MPH Modoc CA Mesonet
Mesonet station SSYC1 Surprise Valley.
0726 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 ENE Stagecoach 39.38N 119.32W
07/20/2024 M52 MPH Lyon NV Mesonet
Mesonet station STGNV 2.8 E Stagecoach (NV
DOT).
0747 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 15 ENE Wabuska 39.26N 118.94W
07/20/2024 M52 MPH Churchill NV Mesonet
Mesonet station DEDN2 Dead Camel Mountain.
0836 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 9 SSW Lovelock 40.07N 118.57W
07/20/2024 M52 MPH Pershing NV ASOS
ASOS station KLOL Lovelock.
0550 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 NW Reno 39.56N 119.85W
07/20/2024 M49 MPH Washoe NV Mesonet
Mesonet station NV013 Northwest Reno.
0856 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 10 NNE Trinity Junction 40.06N 118.65W
07/20/2024 M49 MPH Pershing NV Mesonet
Mesonet station TOUNV 10.1 NE Trinity
Junction (NV DOT).
0953 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 5 ESE Gardnerville 38.92N 119.64W
07/20/2024 M48 MPH Douglas NV Mesonet
Mesonet station FISN2 Fish Springs.
0510 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 W Stewart 39.12N 119.78W
07/20/2024 M47 MPH Carson City NV Mesonet
Mesonet station JCTNV 1.0 W Stewart (NV
DOT).
0639 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 5 NNE Schurz 39.05N 118.79W
07/20/2024 M46 MPH Mineral NV Mesonet
Mesonet station SRZNV 4.6 NE Schurz (NV
DOT).
0747 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 6 ESE Patrick 39.52N 119.48W
07/20/2024 M46 MPH Storey NV Mesonet
Mesonet station PKYNV 5.8 E Patrick (NV
DOT).
0549 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 6 NW Hawthorne 38.59N 118.71W
07/20/2024 M45 MPH Mineral NV Mesonet
Mesonet station WLKNV 6.1 NW Hawthorne (NV
DOT).
0705 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 NNW Lakeview 39.23N 119.81W
07/20/2024 M45 MPH Washoe NV Mesonet
Mesonet station SR2NV 1.3 NW Lakeview (NV
DOT).
&&The Reno radar (KRGX), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:01 UTC.
2 heavy rain, 2 high wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A Cocorahs station (NV-DG-11- Gardnerville) located 3.9 S of Gardnerville, NV, reported a total rainfall amount of 0.60 inches.
A mesonet station NSPA (DRI) located 2.8 mi S of Sparks, NV, reported a total rainfall amount of 0.54 inches.
County official reported 4.0 mi WSW of Lockwood, NV, road closures between Hidden Highlands Drive and Sleepy Hollow Drive due to flash flooding in the area of Hidden Valley. About 100 homes were affected by the flooding.
Mesonet station SRZNV (NV-DOT) located 4.6 mi NE of Schurz, NV, reported a peak wind gust of 75 mph.
Mesonet stations NBNG (DRI) located 3.2 mi NE of Lahontan Reservoir, NV, reported a peak wind gust of 79 mph, that included Mesonet stations NTGNV (NV-DOT) located 14.1 mi SW of Trinity Junction, NV, and BLUN2 (Bluewing Mountain) located 13.0 mi ESE of Empire, NV, by which both reported peak wind gusts of 59 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, July 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: 1206800, 1206807, 1206813, 1206795, 1206797.