The next storm moved into the Sierra and western NV on the 21st, bringing strong wind gusts of 50-65 mph across west central NV. 2 fell along the Sierra crest near and above 7000 feet, with lighter amounts up to 3 down to lake level in the Tahoe basin.
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.
The next storm moved into the Sierra and western NV on the 21st, bringing strong wind gusts of 50-65 mph across west central NV. Around 1 foot of snow with liquid amounts up to 1.2 fell along the Sierra crest near and above 7000 feet, with lighter amounts up to 3 down to lake level in the Tahoe basin. An area of rain moved across much of western NV, with totals ranging from a few hundredths up to 0.40 . Lingering rain and mountain snow showers and chilly temperatures with highs only in the 50s for lower elevations and 40s near the Sierra continued through the 22nd.
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 Apr 21, 12:15 AM PST, 3 hours 45 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
115 AM PDT Tue Apr 21 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
* Rain, mountain snow, and widespread breezy to strong winds
to continue through early Wednesday morning.
* Cold temperatures Wednesday and Thursday with freezes for most
valley locations.
* Warming temperatures into the weekend with possible showers over
the mountains.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Taking a look at the current system this morning, radar depicts an
inbound line of showers moving across northeastern California. As
the sun rises, showers will continue to build in over the Sierra,
where snow levels this morning are hovering between 7500 and 8000
feet. Above this range, a rain/snow shower mix will start the
event, while below 7500 feet will see rain as the dominant
precipitation type. This system will arrive in waves today in
terms of shower intensity, with another robust wave arriving mid
morning, when snow levels will have dropped to around pass level,
or 6500 feet. Because of the variance in snow levels through the
morning, commuters traveling through Sierra passes may encounter
changing precipitation types. Additionally, this afternoon's
showers could contain embedded lightning strikes (15-20% chance).
Due to the fluctuating precipitation types, snow amounts will be
limited, and the high sun angle may work against road
accumulations. Once we start to see the sunset tonight, snow
levels will have fallen to around 5500 to 6000 feet, a much better
setup for accumulations at Sierra passes.
By Wednesday morning, the heavier waves will have started their
eastward trajectory, leaving behind a convective showery pattern.
Since our lowest snow levels also coincide with showery, scattered
cells, we cannot rule out a heavy burst of snow across the Sierra
through Wednesday morning, but these transient showers will move
quickly and therefore not amount to much in the way of widespread
accumulations. All told, by Wednesday morning, pass levels could see
12-14 inches of new snowfall, with 4 to 6 inches possible for the
western shores of Lake Tahoe. The eastern shores will see only 1 to
4 inches of fresh snow. As for leeside and foothill communities,
the spillover seems limited by the largely southerly flow
(unfavorable for spillover). We cannot rule out a light accumulation
under one of the showers that pops late tonight into Wednesday
morning.
Winds will remain southwesterly through Wednesday morning when they
begin to turn westerly as the front passes. Wednesday morning the
majority of valleys will see below freezing readings on the
thermometer, and with the breezy winds subsiding, the morning may
be a bit chilly and breezy. Cold air lingers late Wednesday,
bringing another round of freezing temperatures to the valleys for
Thursday morning. After we say farewell to this system, a warming
and drying trend returns through Friday.
Hints of the troughing pattern featured as a regular part of the
forecast return for the weekend. However, guidance diverges in
solutions for timing and placement, just as with recent systems.
It is best to keep an eye on it as it approaches, realizing the
details may be fuzzy for a few days. HRICH
&&
.AVIATION...
* Southwesterly gusts of 25-30 kts this morning with LLWS and
turbulence through around 20z today. The strongest gusts will
arrive between 21z today and 06z Wednesday. Winds will become
westerly after 00z, with pockets of LLWS and turbulence returning
overnight tonight across the Sierra.
* Rain showers for KSVE this morning may change to rain/snow mix
after sunset tonight. KTRK/KTVL/KMMH will start with the
rain/snow mix today, changing to snow after 00z tonight. Leeside
terminals will see light rain showers that may transition to
rain/snow mix tonight, but by that time, any spillover may
become limited. HRICH
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM early this morning to 5 PM PDT
Wednesday NVZ002.
Wind Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 11 PM PDT this evening
NVZ001-004.
CA...Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM early this morning to 5 PM PDT
Wednesday CAZ072-073.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Trained spotter 1 NNW Incline Village measured 2.5 inches of snow.
Mesonet station EW0588 Yerington measured a wind gust of 59 mph. Lastly, mesonet station WLKNV 6.1 NW Hawthorne measured a wind gust of 52 mph.
Mesonet station TORNV 9.8 NE Trinity Junction measured a wind gust of 62 mph. Lastly, mesonet station SSPNV 3.7 SE Sand Mountain measured a wind gust of 51 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, April 2026
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: 1321654, 1321656, 1321655.