A fast moving cold front brought a round of light Sierra and Western Nevada snow along with dropping temperatures by roughly 20 degrees. Gusty winds also ensued, especially across portions of Western Nevada.
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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 fast moving cold front brought a round of light Sierra and Western Nevada snow along with dropping temperatures by roughly 20 degrees. Gusty winds also ensued, especially across portions of Western Nevada.
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 Mar 2, 2:29 AM PST, 4 hours 46 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...CORRECTED...
National Weather Service Reno NV
229 AM PST Sun Mar 2 2025
.SYNOPSIS...
* Temperatures drop back to seasonal averages today as a quick-
moving storm brings gusty winds, Sierra snowfall, and light
rain/snow showers to western Nevada.
* Travel impacts are possible over mountain passes today and
overnight for the Sierra and east of US-95 in the Basin and
Range.
* A second storm system arrives midweek, delivering additional
Sierra snowfall and rain/snow showers to western Nevada.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Epilogue for yesterday's Taste-of-Spring:
Although Reno's daytime high of 70 degrees did not reach record
territory for March 1, South Lake Tahoe came in for the win with
a record-setting high temperature of 59 F. This broke their
previous record of 56 degrees for the date which occurred in 2013.
Current quick-hitting late winter storm (Today through Monday):
This storm system is associated with a colder, compact meridional-
orientated short wave trough and attendant cold front. Both
satellite and radar imagery show the leading edge of the
precipitation field pushing east into northern CA this morning.
This dynamic cold frontal boundary will sweep across in a north-
south fashion along the spine of the Sierra crest this morning.
After an initial period of limited spillover and rain shadowing
from mid-morning into the afternoon across portions of western
NV, this late-winter system's closed low-pressure circulation will
press further east into the Basin and Range and bring valley rain
showers and higher elevation moderate snowfall to mountain areas
mostly east of US-95 in Churchill and Pershing counties.
* Snow levels will quickly drop to 4000-5000 feet today and remain
near most valley floors tonight into Monday morning. Periods of
light to moderate snowfall are still on the table for the Sierra
passes with 2-4 inches of accumulation still projected for Lake
Tahoe Basin and Eastern Sierra communities. Major passes
(Donner, Echo, and Carson) are still projected to see at least
30-50% chance of 4-6 inches to bring travel impacts to mountain
travel as snow accumulates on pass roadways. Snow totals for
higher terrain along the Sierra Crest could see around 10 inches
before snow showers end by Monday. Some foothill areas south of
US-50 could pick up a light dusting up to an inch of snow late
tonight. It is best to exercise extra caution and expect delays
if travel into the Sierra is necessary. A Winter Weather
Advisory remains in effect for the Lake Tahoe Basin and Mono
County this morning until 4 PM PST Monday.
* Western Nevada will see mainly light rain and snow showers, with
brief moderate rainfall for more convective showers across the
region. The potential for higher elevation snowfall in the Basin
and Range of western NV Sunday evening into late Monday morning
remains good. There is decent confidence for potential snow
accumulations of 3-6 inches above 5000 feet and up to 3 inches
below 5000 feet. Therefore, a Winter Weather Advisory remains in
effect for eastern Churchill and Pershing counties from late
this afternoon through Monday morning.
* Gusts along Sierra ridges will reach 50-70 mph today with
western NV valleys seeing gusts from the southwest to 25-35 mph.
Some wind-prone areas along US-395 from Douglas County into Mono
County, and US-95 in Mineral County have a 30-50% for stronger
gusts reaching 40-45 mph. Moderate post-frontal northwest winds
with gusts of 30-40 mph across the Basin and Range this
afternoon through much of Monday will bring choppy lake
conditions to Pyramid Lake, where a Lake Wind Advisory has been
hoisted.
Midweek Storm (Wednesday through Thursday):
The midweek storm will reinforce colder air that has settled into
the region from the current storm. This will bring a higher
potential for additional mountain snowfall. The latest ensemble
simulations favor a southerly storm track that could concentrate
moderate to heavy snowfall across areas south of Highway 50. If
this system looks to move in a more southerly trajectory, higher
elevations across the Eastern Sierra and Mono County have an
increased potential for higher snowfall totals.
* Snow levels start in the 4500-5500 ft range Wednesday, then
trend downward by early Thursday. Current probabilistic
guidance suggests another round of travel impacts for Sierra
passes, with a 40-60% chance of 6-8 inches of snow accumulation
across mountain roadways.
* Western NV valleys should see at least 0.10 inch of liquid
precipitation. Blended guidance projects higher elevation areas
east of US-95 in the Basin and Range to receive around 0.20-0.35
inches of liquid precipitation that should yield a 30-50%
chance for 4-7 inches of accumulated snow across higher terrain
areas with at least a couple inches to New Pass Summit in
Churchill County.
* Winds will remain breezy Thursday with some areas seeing peak
winds reaching 30-35 mph across northern Washoe County and
portions of western NV south of Highway 50.
Outlook through next weekend:
Ensemble simulations continue to signal a continuation of this
current active pattern. Confidence remains low for any definite
projections of storm strength and trajectories beyond Thursday.
Ensemble multi-model run simulations show a trend for higher
liquid precipitation totals late this weekend and onward. CW3E
ensemble guidance also forecasts a low confidence signal for a
weak AR-supported system that favors the Pacific Northwest region.
Subsequent model runs will be needed to get a clearer picture
going into next weekend. The trend, however, still favors below-
average temperatures and periodic precipitation events going into
the second week of March.
-Amanda
&&
.AVIATION...
* Look for increasing southwest winds and turbulence concerns as
FL100 winds strengthen to 30-40 kts through this morning. Wind
speed and direction support the formation of enhanced mountain
wave turbulence and periods of LLWS, particularly near and east of
the Sierra crest into western NV.
* Sierra and western NV terminals will see peak gusts of 25-35 kts
late this morning, especially along the I-80 corridor. This area
will shift east into the Basin and Range this afternoon.
* Sierra terminals (KTRK/KTVL) - Periods of IFR/MVFR with light to
moderate snow, lowering CIGS/VIS, and potential for 1-3 inches of
accumulation by 12Z Monday.
* Western NV terminals (KRNO/KCXP/KMEV) - Brief MVFR possible in
rain showers, with a 20-40% chance for a rain/snow mix briefly
changing to -SN at KMEV/KCXP tonight as snow levels drop to
4000-5000 feet.
* Another winter system midweek brings potential mountain
obscurations, IFR/MVFR conditions, and turbulence. Snow levels
remain around 4500-5000 ft, with accumulating snow likely for
Sierra terminals and scattered rain/snow showers possible in
western NV.
-Johnston/Amanda
&&
.AVALANCHE...
A fast-moving winter storm will bring colder temperatures, gusty
southwest winds, and periods of snow today into Monday. Another
system midweek may bring additional snowfall and strong winds,
favoring areas south of US-50.
SWE and SLR:
* 0.20-0.60 SWE expected across all avalanche centers through early
Monday, with SLRs around 12-15:1.
Snowfall Totals and Rates:
* Today: 1-4 inches for mid-elevations, 4-6 inches above 8000
feet, with the highest amounts south of Tahoe Basin and along
the Sierra crest.
* Tonight: Additional 0-2 inches possible, with higher terrain
reaching up to 4 inches.
* Snowfall rates will peak at 0.5-1"/hr this morning with snow
shower bands producing similar rates this afternoon-early
evening before tapering off overnight.
Ridgetop gusts:
* Today: Strongest winds from the SW at 50-60 mph at ridge level,
creating blowing snow and visibility concerns.
* Tonight: Winds shift W/NW at 25-45 mph, gradually weakening
into Monday morning.
-Johnston/Amanda
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST Monday NVZ002.
Lake Wind Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 PM PST Monday
NVZ004.
Winter Weather Advisory from 4 PM this afternoon to 10 AM PST
Monday NVZ004.
CA...Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST Monday CAZ072-073.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Palisades Tahoe: 6-8 inches measured in the past 24 hours. Elevation 8600 feet.
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area reported 10 inches of snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in California, March 2025
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: 1242521, 1242528.