[SIERA] Public Information Statement for Carson City, NV

[Dick Flanagan]

Public Information Statement
445 PM PST Thu Dec 30 2004

A powerful snowstorm is moving though the Sierra Nevada and will
deposit significant amounts of snowfall across the region.  Near
record snowfall totals may be recorded at mountain locations.

The following table lists the largest snowstorm totals that have
been recorded at Reno from 1906 through 1994.  (From 1995 through
2003 snowfall was not recorded by the automated observing system
located at the Reno Tahoe international Airport.)  Since 2003 Reno
snowfall has been recorded by a cooperative observer.

As can be seen in The Table...strong snowstorms can drop over a foot
and a half of snowfall in Reno.  This table also compares the
snowfall amounts recorded at other locations across the eastern
Sierra and western Nevada.


                Largest snowstorm totals (inches) in Reno
              (1906 through 1994)


Inclusive dates     Reno   Truckee  Tahoe City  Carson City  Fallon


Jan. 10-14, 1911    37.9     N/A      134.0         N/A       trace

Feb. 9-11, 1922     27.4     N/A       78.0         N/A        3.1

Dec. 1-3, 1919      25.6     N/A       60.0         N/A        3.8

Jan. 17-18, 1916    25.5     N/A       24.0         N/A       10.0

Feb. 10-12, 1959    21.9     40.0      43.0        13.9        1.0

Feb. 16-18, 1990    21.1     63.0      46.0         9.0        2.0

Jan. 14-18, 1913    19.0     N/A      100.0         N/A        0.6

Jan. 17-21, 1933    18.5     N/A       27.1        20.5        5.5

March 14-16, 1952   17.1     26.2      28.0        16.0        N/A

Jan. 27-30, 1937    17.0     N/A       36.5        24.0       10.5

Jan. 25-27, 1956    16.8     31.0      31.5        15.0        8.5

Nov. 10-11, 1985    15.5     42.0      28.0        16.0        N/A

Dec. 25-26, 1971    14.9     36.0      N/A          N/A        0.0

Jan. 27-29, 1916    14.7     N/A       63.0         N/A        9.5

Nov. 1-3, 1935      14.0     N/A       10.6        15.0        8.0



Significant snowfall totals will be recorded in the Sierra as a
result of this snowstorm.  Record daily snowfall amounts may be
seen.  The following table lists the largest daily snowfall totals
(greater than 30 inches) that have been recorded at Tahoe City
during the twentieth century.


Rank    amount         date

  1.      42.0      Apr.  3, 1958
          42.0      Jan. 15, 1952
  3.      41.0      Dec. 12, 1911
  4.      40.0      Jan. 13, 1911
  5.      38.0      Jan. 18, 1914
          38.0      Jan. 12, 1906
  7.      37.0      Dec. 21, 1996
          37.0      Feb. 10, 1938
  9.      36.0      Dec. 14, 1948
          36.0      Jan. 11, 1911
11.      33.0      Jan. 23, 1923
          33.0      Jan. 27, 1916
          33.0      Jan. 15, 1913
14.      32.0      Mar. 23, 1995
          32.0      Jan. 12, 1952
          32.0      Feb.  9, 1922
          32.0      Feb. 21, 1917
18.      31.0      Feb.  8, 1985
          31.0      Jan.  3, 1916



Record snowstorm totals may also be seen with this major winter
storm. The following table lists the top ten snowstorms that have
affected the Tahoe basin (snowfall recorded at Tahoe city).  Since
the current snowstorm may last a period of four days...the
snowstorms in this table record the four consecutive days that
recorded the largest snowfall totals during these snowstorms.


                        Total four-day snowfall
   inclusive dates      at Tahoe City (inches)

Jan. 10-13, 1911                130

Jan. 14-17, 1913                 83

Feb. 8-11, 1922                  79

Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 1938             77

Feb. 10-13, 1938                 76

Jan. 12-15, 1952                108

Mar. 31-Apr. 3, 1958             73

Mar. 11-14, 1967                 92

Mar. 21-24, 1995                 74

Dec. 20-23, 1996                 73



The above climatological data will allow the current snowstorm to be
compared to past events.  At this time we are expecting a storm
total of 36 to 48 inches at Tahoe City...and 12 to 18 inches of snow
in downtown Reno with 36 to 48 inches in the foothills.

O'Hara

--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
E-mail: k7vc at arrl.org