After a quiet first half of the month, storms returned to bring strong wind gusts of 45-60 mph in lower elevations, isolated gusts up to 80 mph in wind prone locations, and around 100 mph for Sierra ridges. Rainfall was limited into northwest Nevada, with the highest totals near the Oregon border.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
After a quiet first half of the month, storms returned to bring strong wind gusts of 45-60 mph in lower elevations, isolated gusts up to 80 mph in wind prone locations, and around 100 mph for Sierra ridges. Rainfall was limited into northwest Nevada, with the highest totals near the Oregon border. Snow levels were quite high, above 9000 feet for this event.
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 Dec 17, 1:06 AM PST, 3 hours 24 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Reno NV 106 AM PST Wed Dec 17 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... * Gusty to strong winds will pose impacts to travel and recreation through this afternoon. * Rain and high Sierra light snow showers will continue through this morning. * A break on winds and precipitation is expected Thursday before wet and windy weather resumes Friday into the weekend, with potential for more atmospheric river events through Christmas Day. && .DISCUSSION... An upper shortwave trough continues to deliver light rain across northern NV/CA this morning per radar and surface observations. The higher chances of rain (60-90%) continue for the Tahoe Basin, NE CA, and the Sierra Front through the morning. Snow levels remain high, generally above 9 kft in the Sierra and 6-7.5 kft for the Surprise Valley and northern Washoe, limiting significant snow to the highest peaks. Precipitation will taper off by this afternoon. Winds remain the main concern through this afternoon. A deepening surface low to our north, combined with robust 700 mb flow of 50-65 kts, will generate widespread gusty to strong winds. Wind Advisories remain in effect for much of the area. The strongest winds are anticipated in two periods: early Wednesday morning and again late morning to early afternoon. SW/W gusts of 35-50 mph across valleys, 50-70 mph in wind-prone areas, and 80-100 mph in Sierra ridges are expected today. These winds will pose impacts to travel and recreation, including aviation and crosswind hazards on north to south oriented highways. Winds begin to weaken by this evening. Weak ridging returns on Thursday, resulting in mostly dry conditions and significantly lighter winds. However, another system approaches on Friday, bringing a return of gusty winds and increasing chances for rain and high-elevation snow. NBM guidance shows increasing precip chances for the Sierra and northern NV/CA, though snow levels are expected to remain high initially and decreasing by Saturday morning to 6-7.5 kft. By Saturday, the deepening of an upper trough allows a westerly to southwesterly flow into the West Coast conducive to a series of atmospheric river (AR) events with rounds of precipitation to Northern CA/NV. NBM guidance indicates high chances for precipitation 60-90% across the Sierra and northern NV/CA through early next week. Valley locations will also see increased chances for rain 40-80%. While snow levels are expected to remain elevated through much of the weekend, there is increasing confidence in significant snowfall at higher elevations, above 7 kft, as colder air eventually filters in. The days leading up to Christmas still look favorable for stronger winter storms, which may result in significant holiday travel disruptions across the Sierra and western Nevada. Confidence in the exact timing and intensity of these AR events remains moderate, but the overall trend points to an active pattern. -HC && .AVIATION... Mountain wave turbulence and LLWS impacts will be the primary concern for all terminals with light rain showers periodically lowering CIGS/VIS to MVFR conditions at Tahoe and Sierra Front terminals tonight through Wednesday morning. SW/W FL100 winds continue at 40-60 kts through 18Z this morning. Surface wind gusts SW/W reach 25-35 kts at KTRK-KTVL-KMMH and 35-45 kts at KRNO-KCXP-KMEV around 12Z. Mountain wave turbulence and LLWS will likely be an issue to some extent through this evening, but will be most intense from 12Z-18Z along with the strongest winds. Low clouds and occasional -RA/RA may obscure mountains for Sierra and western NV terminals. Rain showers may sneak into KRNO- KCXP- KMEV through 14Z. -Salas/HC && .REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories... NV...Wind Advisory until 4 PM PST Wednesday NVZ002>005. CA...Wind Advisory until 4 PM PST Wednesday CAZ070>072. &&
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Mesonet station at Gerlach recorded a wind gust of 57 mph.
Mesonet station RGX at Virginia Peak recorded a wind gust of 94 mph. Also, mesonet station GLCNV 2.3 NE Washoe City recorded a gust of 81 mph at around 4:00 AM PST on the 17th.
Mesonet station SLIDE 0.9 E Mount Rose recorded a wind gust of 107 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, December 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: 1300439, 1300440, 1300436.