Active weather returned on the 4th with a storm system that brought gusty winds along with valley rain and mountain snow. The storm trajectory allowed a quick moving cold front to sweep across the region early morning on the 4th.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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.
Active weather returned on the 4th with a storm system that brought gusty winds along with valley rain and mountain snow. The storm trajectory allowed a quick moving cold front to sweep across the region early morning on the 4th. This front set the region up to see two impactful weather concerns: gusty to strong southwesterly winds along with winter-like precipitation that included accumulated mountain snow and valley rain. Conditions slowly improved on the 5th with a slow warming trend and low precipitation chances following early the next week.
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 May 4, 1:13 AM PST, 4 hours 47 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
213 AM PDT Sat May 4 2024
.SYNOPSIS...
Active weather returns today with a strong spring storm system
bringing gusty to strong winds, valley rain, and mountain snow
with conditions slowly improving Sunday. For next week, a slow
warming trend with low chances for precipitation remains in the
forecast.
&&
.SHORT TERM Today-Sunday...
IMPORTANT CHANGES:
* Precipitation: There are no significant changes to the latest
forecasted liquid totals, snowfall totals, timing, or snow
levels for today's storm. Winter Storm Warnings for the eastern
Sierra, and a Winter Weather Advisory for northeast CA remain in
effect from 11 AM PDT today until 8 AM PDT Sunday. For more
details, please visit Weather.gov/rev/winter.
* Wind: There are also no major changes to the current wind
forecast timing, locations, or strength for today. A High Wind
Warning remains in effect from 8 AM PDT today until 8 PM PDT
tonight for the Sierra Front southward through Lyon, Douglas,
and Mineral counties. Elsewhere, Wind Advisories are still in
effect for northern Washoe and the Surprise Valley until 5 PM
PDT with Lake Wind Advisory for Lake Pyramid through 8 PM PDT.
Please refer to the High Wind Warning as well as the Wind
Advisories for more detailed information.
KEY POINTS:
* Precipitation: High resolution models and the HREF are
indicating that the heaviest of the snowfall in the Sierra is
still expected late morning into the early evening, with
snowfall rates upwards 1- 2"/hr likely (>80%). Accumulations on
roadways may be limited during the day given the time of year,
but the snowfall rates may be enough to overcome this factor.
Conditions in the Sierra will slowly improve overnight into
Sunday morning, with minor snow showers possible during this
time. However, one remaining concern is that cold overnight
temperatures may lead to icy snowpacked roads in the Sierra,
especially above 5,000 feet into Sunday morning. Most of the
precipitation occurring in western NV will fall as rain through
the afternoon. However, there is still a 20-40% chance for light
snow showers for western NV later this evening into Sunday
morning with little to no accumulation.
* Wind: The HREF and guidance still indicate that strong winds
throughout the region will materialize this morning and will
continue into the evening. This may lead to travel disruptions
due to strong cross winds, especially for any wind prone along
US-395 from the greater Reno area all the way south into Mono
County, as well as US-95 through the Hawthorne area. All area
lakes will also experience strong winds creating unsafe
conditions.
* Temperatures: High temperatures by Sunday will fall to as much
as 15-20 degrees below average for this time of year. In fact it
will feel more like an average day for early February! A greater
concern with the cold temperatures will be the overnight lows
for Sunday and Monday mornings. Freezing temperatures of at
least 32 degrees are looking likely (>60%) for most of western
NV on Sunday morning. Lows for all Sierra communities will drop
down into the upper teens to low 20s.
* Sunday Leftovers: As the upper low pressure moves through the
region on Sunday, precipitation will become more showery in
nature and will mostly all be done by late morning. -McKellar
.LONG TERM: Monday-Friday...
Model guidance shows the upper air low opening up into more of a
negatively tilted trough on Monday over the Rocky Mountains
allowing for a mostly northwesterly flow over the CWA that
continues through Tuesday. It also continues into Wednesday with
the trough becoming more neutral over the central CONUS as a ridge
moves over the Pacific Coast. As a result, temperatures look to
rebound a bit though still being cooler on Monday before slightly
cooling on Tuesday with a warming trend beginning on Wednesday.
While the upper air pattern is unsettled at this time, signals do
point to the warming trend continuing through Thursday and Friday.
Precipitation chances look to be minimal at best currently during
the next work week. There may be some fog concerns during the
morning hours around the Truckee area during mornings to begin the
work week, so will continue to monitor this potential. -078
&&
.AVIATION...
Weekend Storm Update: A strong, unseasonably colder spring storm
system is moving into the region today into early Sunday morning.
* Snow/Rain: Widespread mountain snow showers and valley rains are
likely (>70%) through tonight in northeast CA, the Sierra, and
western NV. This colder airmass will allow for snow levels to
drop to 5000-5500 feet the evening. Sierra terminals KTRK, KTVL,
and KMMH could see between 3-5" of snowfall with a 80-90% chance
for at least 2". However, high sun angle in May may limit
accumulations on runways at those terminal during the day. There
is also a slight chance for snow flurries tonight into Sunday
morning for far western NV terminals (KRTS-KRNO-KCXP-KMEV).
* Winds: Strong west to southwest winds will increase across the
Sierra through tonight. Look for sustained ridgetop winds across
the Sierra of 40-50kts with gusts upwards of 70-90kts during
this time period. Expect periods of mountain wave turbulence, as
well as LLWS for all area terminals. Strong west to southwest
winds are possible for all western NV and Sierra terminals
through tonight. -Amanda/McKellar
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Wind Advisory from 8 AM this morning to 5 PM PDT this afternoon
NVZ005.
Winter Storm Warning from 11 AM this morning to 8 AM PDT Sunday
NVZ002.
High Wind Warning from 8 AM this morning to 8 PM PDT this
evening NVZ001-003.
Lake Wind Advisory from 8 AM this morning to 8 PM PDT this
evening NVZ004.
CA...Wind Advisory from 8 AM this morning to 5 PM PDT this afternoon
CAZ070.
Winter Weather Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 8 AM PDT
Sunday CAZ071.
Winter Storm Warning from 11 AM this morning to 8 AM PDT Sunday
CAZ072-073.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind, 1 heavy snow, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter (WA-12) located 1.0 mi NNW of Incline Village reported 24 hour snowfall totaling 9.5 inches.
A trained spotter (WA-12) located 1.0 mi NNW of Incline Village reported 24 hour snowfall totaling 9.5 inches.
Mesonet station (LVYN2 Little Valley) located 2.0 mi ESE of the Diamond Peak Ski Base, mesonet station (GALN2 Galena) located 4.0 mi NNW of Washoe City, NV, and an ASOS(KRNO) located 3.0 mi SSW of Sparks, NV, reported peak wind gusts of 66 mph, 62 mph, and 60 mph respectively.
Mesonet station (ANCNV-NV DOT) located 25.0 mi SSW of Hawthorne, NV, reported a peak wind gust of 64 mph.
Mesonet station (SSPNV - NV DOT) located 3.7 mi SE of Sand Mountain, NV, a mesonet station (UP993 - UPR) located 3.2 mi E of Trinity Junction, NV, and an ASOS (KNFL) located 1.0 mi E of Fallon Station, NV, reported peak wind gusts of 62 mph, 61 mph, and 59 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, May 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: 1185107, 1193489, 1185102, 1185104, 1185105.