Light Sierra snow showers and gusty winds returned on the 19th. A fast moving low pressure system provided a round of light snow showers across the northern Sierra along with gusty southwest winds across 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.
Light Sierra snow showers and gusty winds returned on the 19th. A fast moving low pressure system provided a round of light snow showers across the northern Sierra along with gusty southwest winds across western Nevada. The main wave of snow showers moved along the northern Sierra crest early in the afternoon of the 19th with snow levels around 5500-6000'. Snow accumulations were projected to be spotty due to the convective nature of the snow along the incoming cold front. Overall, winds were the main impact with this storm with afternoon wind gusts expected to reach around 30-40 mph for most areas as Sierra ridgetop gusts exceeded 80 mph. This resulted in choppy lake waters and aviation turbulence. Strong crosswinds for high profile vehicles were expected along Hwy 395/I-580 with these gusty winds pushing out into the Basin and Range during the afternoon, impacting area highways including Hwy 95 near Walker Lake.
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 19, 1:25 AM PST, 10 hours 55 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
125 AM PST Wed Feb 19 2025
.SYNOPSIS...
* A quick moving low will provide light snow showers for the
northern Sierra today. Expect gusty winds for W.Nevada this
afternoon with light rain and snow showers this evening.
* Cooler with breezy east winds across the Sierra ridges Thursday.
* High pressure will build in for the rest of the week, bringing
warmer, spring-like temperatures this weekend into next week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
A fast moving low pressure system will provide a round of light
snow showers across the northern Sierra today along with gusty
southwest winds across western Nevada today. The main wave of
snow showers looks to move along the N.Sierra crest after 1-2p
this afternoon with snow levels around 5500-6000'.
Snow accumulations are looking spotty due to the convective
nature of the snow along the incoming cold front. Overall the
Sierra crest passes look to be the best candidates to receive up
to 1-2" of snow accumulations from mid-afternoon into early
evening with trace amounts of snow possible down to lake level.
Snow showers will be confined mainly to US-50 northward with
little to no snow chances for Alpine and Mono counties. Impacts to
area roads will be limited to brief periods of slush across the
higher passes should a heavier shower occur.
Western Nevada valleys could see a brief window between around
7-11p this evening where a small band of rain and snow showers
move through with the cold front. Snow levels around 5000-5500
feet during this time frame could provide trace amounts of snow
across western Nevada foothills with slick conditions possible
overnight as temperatures dip below freezing.
Overall winds will be the main impact Wednesday with afternoon
wind gusts expected to reach around 30-40 mph for most areas as
Sierra ridgetop gusts exceed 80 mph. This will result in choppy
lake waters and aviation turbulence. Strong crosswinds for high
profile vehicles can be expected along Hwy 395/I-580 with these
gusty winds pushing out into the Basin and Range during the
afternoon, impacting area highways including Hwy 95 near Walker
Lake. Surface winds should begin to weaken as the sun sets, but
winds will stay breezy across the ridges as they shift to the NE
late Wednesday night into Thursday.
Most shower activity will diminish by Wednesday evening with high
pressure then building in for the remainder of the week. Temperatures
will hang around average values through Friday before warming to
near mid-April values by late weekend into early next week. Expect
highs to reach into the low to mid-60s across western Nevada with
mid to upper 50s for Sierra communities. Fuentes
&&
.AVIATION...
* Fast moving cold front to move through this afternoon/evening.
There is a 30-50% chance of -SHRA/-SHSN between 21-06Z at
KTRK/KTVL with snow accumulation unlikely. Other terminals to
remain dry except for maybe a few light showers reaching KRNO-
KCXP-KMEV in the evening (03-07z).
* W-SW winds will increase over the ridges beginning around 12Z,
peaking 18-21Z around 45-50 kts and then turning WSW as the
trough swings through the area during mid to late afternoon.
Expect moderate to locally severe turbulence, especially for
smaller aircraft. LLWS and rotors can also be expected with W-SW
surface winds of 15-25 kts with gusts 30-35 kts. Hohmann/Fuentes
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Lake Wind Advisory from 8 AM to 6 PM PST Wednesday NVZ002.
Lake Wind Advisory from 10 AM to 6 PM PST Wednesday NVZ004.
CA...Lake Wind Advisory from 8 AM to 6 PM PST Wednesday CAZ072.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A mesonet station (GLCNV) located 2.3 mile NE of Washoe City, NV, and mesonet station (NV013) Northwest Reno located 2.0 mi NW of Reno, NV, reported peak wind gusts of 66 mph, and 61 mph respectively.
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, February 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: 1238809.