Damaging winds along with heavy snow accompanied a major winter storm system that moved through the region. Sierra travel remained treacherous through the weekend, with periods of life-threatening blizzard conditions.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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.
Damaging winds along with heavy snow accompanied a major winter storm system that moved through the region. Sierra travel remained treacherous through the weekend, with periods of life-threatening blizzard conditions. IDSS messaging included avoiding travel into the Sierra through this weekend.
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 Feb 29, 2:23 PM PST, 9 hours 37 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
223 PM PST Thu Feb 29 2024
.SYNOPSIS...
Winds have already produced damage around the area and more strong
wind along with heavy snow is on track as a major winter storm
moves through the area. Sierra travel will be treacherous through
the weekend, with a period of life-threatening blizzard conditions
Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. Avoid travel into the
Sierra through this weekend! Snow showers will continue Sunday
into early Monday with another chance for snow Wednesday and
Thursday of next week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
CHANGES/KEY POINTS:
* Major winter storm on track to bring blizzard conditions to the
Sierra, periods of white out conditions even for far western NV
valleys Friday night and Saturday (possibly starting as early as
the Friday evening commute for the Reno-Carson City area), and
strong damaging winds region-wide.
* SIERRA SNOW: QPF/Snow amounts have increased if that is even
possible. Now looking at 5-10" of liquid along the crest. Along
with higher snow ratios, snow amounts will approach and even
exceed 10 feet along the crest with multiple feet down into
Sierra communities.
* A robust wind signal remains through Friday night. So the strong
damaging wind potential will persist. High wind warnings have
been extended for the Basin and Range down into Mineral/southern
Lyon counties, including Hwy 95 near Walker Lake.
STORM DETAILS:
* A large and cold Pacific upper low and strong upper level jet
(130-140kts @250 MB) will continue to provide plenty of moisture
(IVT 250-350) and lift for heavy precipitation as colder air
settles southward into the Sierra and western NV. This will not
be a fast process, allowing for falling snow levels and long
periods of snow to add up over 2-3 days. Latest blended guidance
is pretty solid with the snow amounts in the multiples of feet
for the Sierra with a decent spillover into far western NV
valleys and foothills. Reno has a 50% chance of exceeding 8" and
75% chance of reaching 12" while Virginia City has a 60% chance
of exceeding 18". Snow was already increasing along Sierra
passes with latest web cams indicating deteriorating conditions.
It will only get worse through the night and continuing through
Sunday morning. Some light snow accumulation is possible
overnight/early Friday in the foothills around Reno which could
bring some slippery roads for the Friday AM commute. However,
the worst conditions are still expected late Friday afternoon
through Saturday morning, when blizzard conditions will be
widespread throughout the Sierra (passes and Sierra communities)
and spillover snowfall into far western NV will peak with
periods of whiteout conditions even down in Reno-Carson City.
* Winds will remain very strong through Friday night with a 30%
chance of gusts exceeding 80 mph in wind prone areas along Hwy
395/I-580 and Hwy 95 near Walker Lake through this evening and a
50% chance of exceeding 65 mph on Friday. Aside from life-
threatening blizzard conditions due to wind and snow in the
Sierra, blowing dust and dangerous crosswinds will create
hazards to motorists, especially trucks and high profiled
vehicles. There have already been damage reports including a
shed roof being blown off and some trees downed. Webcams and
satellite imagery also showed dust channels across the Basin
and Range this afternoon. Gradients remain very strong Fri-Fri
Night with EFI signals and blended guidance indicating an
enhanced threat. So we have extended the high wind warnings for
much of western NV. There may be a brief "lull" Friday morning,
but winds will increase again in the afternoon and evening.
* Temperatures will be quite chilly as colder air filters into the
region. Highs will struggle to reach 30 degrees in Sierra
communities and 40 degrees for lower elevation communities Sat-
Sun. Latest guidance indicates a slower progression of the main
trough with another shot of snowfall Sunday-Sunday night,
possibly impacting the commute Monday morning. There may not
even be a break in the snowfall for the Sierra Sunday although
winds will be less of a concern by then. Best guess for
additional snowfall put another 6-12" along the crest with a few
inches possible even down into the lower valleys. Right now, it
looks like snow showers will decrease Monday with Tuesday quiet.
However, we are already eyeing another chance of snow showers
Wed-Thu. So the active weather pattern will persist.
Hohmann
&&
.AVIATION...
* MVFR conditions for main terminals will decrease overnight to
IFR conditions as the initial impulse of rain-snow progresses
into the Sierra into western Nevada. Sierra terminals will see
bands of moderate to heavy snowfall bringing periods of LIFR
conditions Friday PM through Saturday morning. Storm total
snowfall amounts of 3-6 feet at KTRK/KTVL with 2-3 feet at KMMH.
For KRNO/KCXP/KMEV, light rain and snow showers through most of
Friday with snow and blowing snow to bring deteriorating
conditions beginning as early as 00-03Z Saturday and continuing
into Sat morning.
* Strong south-southwesterly surface winds gusting 35-45 kts will
bring periods of moderate to severe turbulence and LLWS to both
Sierra and far western NV terminals. These strong winds will
produce periods of near whiteout conditions in blowing snow for
Sierra terminals (KTRK-KTVL-KMMH). Strong wind gusts to 40-50
kts across the Basin and Range will produce periods of reduced
visibility less than a mile in blowing dust and IFR conditions
for western NV terminals at times this evening. Will continue
to monitor and amend TAFs as needed during this complex winter
storm system. -Amanda
&&
.AVALANCHE...
* CHANGES: Major winter storm on track with persistent blizzard
conditions in the backcountry, and down into Sierra communities
Fri PM - Sat AM. (1) QPF/Snow amounts are up along the crest.
(2) Additional snow accumulations are expected Sunday-early
Monday morning. Snow amounts will be difficult to measure as
considerable drifting will occur with strong winds.
* SNOW: Through Sunday AM, 6-10 feet of snow along the crest from
Plumas County to Mammoth Mountain with 3-6 feet in the Tahoe
Basin and higher elevations of Hwy 395 through the Eastern
Sierra. Highest totals will still be north of Sonora Pass.
* SNOW RATIOS: Will start around 10:1-13:1 early tonight but
increase to 13:1-16:1 late tonight and Friday, then even drier
Sat-Sun, 15:1-18:1 depending on elevation.
* LIQUID AMOUNTS: 5-10 inches with highest totals north of Sonora
Pass.
* WINDS: South to southwest 30-50 mph with gusts to 70+ mph,
except southwest 60-80 mph with gusts 100+ mph along the
ridges.
Hohmann
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...High Wind Warning until 10 PM PST this evening NVZ003-005.
Winter Storm Warning from 10 PM this evening to 4 PM PST
Saturday NVZ005.
Blizzard Warning until 10 AM PST Sunday NVZ002.
High Wind Warning until 7 AM PST Saturday NVZ001-004.
Winter Storm Warning from 10 PM this evening to 10 PM PST
Saturday NVZ003.
CA...High Wind Warning until 10 PM PST this evening CAZ070.
Winter Storm Warning from 10 PM this evening to 4 PM PST
Saturday CAZ070.
Blizzard Warning until 4 AM PST Sunday CAZ071.
Blizzard Warning until 10 AM PST Sunday CAZ072.
Blizzard Warning from 4 PM this afternoon to 10 AM PST Sunday
CAZ073.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 heavy snow, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter(WA-12) located 1.0 mi NNW of Incline Village, the public located at the Mount Rose Ski Base summit, and the public located at the Diamond Peak Ski resort reported storm snowfall totals of 13.0 inches, 12.0 inches, and 10.0 inches respectively.
Mesonet station (DW8690-Wellington) located 5.0 mi NE of Smith Valley, NV, reported a peak wind gust of 99 mph.
A trained spotter located 3.0 mi E of Verdi, NV, official NWS Obs completed at NWS Reno, a trained spotter located 8.0 mi SW of Lockwood, NV, and a CoCoRAHS station (NV-WH-165) located 3.0 mi E of Stead, NV, reported 24 hour storm snowfall totals of 18.5 inches, 16.7 inches, 12.0 inches, and 10.5 inches respectively. Official NWS Obs completed at NWS Reno also reported storm total snowfall of 26.3 inches.
Mesonet station (WASNV-NV DOT) located 3.2 mi S of Washoe City, NV, and a mesonet station (NV052-South Verdi) located 2.0 mi SSE of Verdi reported peak wind gusts of 71 mph and 67 mph respectively.
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, March 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: 1185187, 1184935, 1185185, 1184938.