Nevada, 2024

Heavy Snow and High Wind in Nevada, November 20 to 21, 2024

November 20 to 21, 2024 · NWS REV · 2 events in 1 county or zone

The weather pattern changed on the 20th with the approach of an upper level storm system that hovered off the Pacific NW. This allowed for a deep plume of moisture, aka atmospheric river (AR), to be advected towards northern CA for the second half of the week.

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.

The weather pattern changed on the 20th with the approach of an upper level storm system that hovered off the Pacific NW. This allowed for a deep plume of moisture, aka atmospheric river (AR), to be advected towards northern CA for the second half of the week. This enhanced the primary hazard being heavy precipitation across the region with projected liquid storm totals of 2.5-3.0 inches for the Sierra crest, 0.75-1.00 inch for the foothills, and 0.10-0.75 from the Basin and Range into far western Nevada. The secondary hazard that was expected with this system was gusty southwest to south winds. Projected gusts of 30-40 mph in the valleys across the region were complemented with gusts exceeding 70-80 mph across the Sierra crest. Blended guidance showed a 30-50% chance of 50+ mph gusts, while ECMWF Extreme Forecast Index (EFI) also indicated an anomalous event. Other wind impacts included turbulence, hazardous boating conditions, and fire weather concerns.

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 Nov 20, 1:31 AM PST, 3 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 20, 1:31 AM PST, 3 hours 30 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
November 20, 5:01 AM PST to 11:39 AM PST
Where
Greater Reno/Carson City/Minden Area forecast zone
Measured
66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
39.511, -119.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station (WASNV-Washoe City-NV DOT)) located 3.2 mi S of Washoe City, NV, mesonet station (NV052-South Verdi) located 2.0 SSE of Verdi, NV, and ASOS station KRNO Reno located 3.0 mi SSW of Sparks, NV, reported peak wind gusts of 76 mph, 71 mph, and 61 mph respectively.

Heavy Snow, Greater Reno/Carson City/Minden Area

When
November 20, 3:25 PM PST to November 21, 3:25 PM PST
Where
Greater Reno/Carson City/Minden Area forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
39.511, -119.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The public located at the Mount Rose Ski Base reported storm total snowfall of 12.0 inches.

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, November 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1223453, 1223452.