095
FXUS65 KREV 172150
AFDREV
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
150 PM PST TUE FEB 17 2026
KEY MESSAGES
* THE MOST IMPACTFUL PART OF THE WINTER STORM IS ONGOING AND WILL
PERSIST THROUGH TONIGHT. TRAVEL IS HIGHLY DISCOURAGED IN THE
SIERRA AS PERIODS OF WHITEOUT CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY.
* FOR WESTERN NEVADA, SNOW IS ONGOING AND WILL PILE ON SEVERAL
INCHES OF SNOWFALL CREATING HAZARDOUS TRAVEL FOR THE EVENING
COMMUTE.
* COLD CONDITIONS AND SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS WILL KEEP ROADS SLICK
THROUGH THE WEDNESDAY MORNING COMMUTE, WITH THE NEXT ROUND OF SNOW
ON THE WAY FOR THURSDAY.
DISCUSSION
WE'RE DIGGING INTO THE MAIN COURSE OF THE STORM RIGHT NOW WITH
MULTIPLE REPORTS OF SNOW RATES FROM 1"/HOUR ACROSS WESTERN NEVADA,
EVEN IN RENO, AND 3-4"/HOUR OBSERVED NEAR DONNER PASS IN THE SIERRA.
ALSO, THERE IS A RISK FOR THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY SNOW AND
LIGHTNING FROM 12PM-6PM. BE AWARE OF RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS,
ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE IN THE BACKCOUNTRY DURING THIS STORM. IMPACTS
ARE A PLENTY ACROSS THE SIERRA AND WESTERN NEVADA FROM LAST NIGHT
INTO TODAY WITH PLENTIFUL ROAD CLOSURES AND INCIDENTS, CHAIN
RESTRICTIONS, SCHOOL/CITY/COUNTY CLOSURES AND WE'VE EVEN SEEN
REPORTS OF BUSINESSES CLOSING UP EARLY TO AVOID THE EVER-WORSENING
ROAD CONDITIONS AS OF 11AM TODAY. THIS SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
THE EVENING ACROSS THE REGION WITH NO SIGNS OF A BREAK UNTIL WELL
AFTER MIDNIGHT.
PLAN ON HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITIONS, POOR VISIBILITY DUE TO FALLING
AND BLOWING SNOW, AND EVEN PERIODS OF WHITE OUT CONDITIONS IN
LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW THROUGH LATE TONIGHT.
BY WEDNESDAY, PLAN ON VARIABLE ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE MORNING
COMMUTE. WHILE SNOW WILL BE OVER FOR MANY LOCATIONS, THE ROAD
CONDITIONS WON'T BE ANY BETTER THAN WE LEAVE THEM TONIGHT. WESTERN
NV WILL LIKELY HAVE A DECENT BREAK IN THE ACTION, BUT THE SIERRA
WILL STILL RECEIVE OFF/ON SHOWERS DURING THE DAY. OUR NEXT STORM IS
ALREADY LINING UP TO BARREL THROUGH THE REGION FOR EARLY THURSDAY
MORNING. PLAN ON ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN THE SIERRA WITH UP
TO AN ADDITIONAL FOOT POSSIBLE, WHILE ANOTHER 3-8" OF SNOW COULD
FALL IN THE TAHOE BASIN, WESTERN MONO COUNTY AND NORTHEAST CA.
WESTERN NV SNOW AMOUNTS WILL BE LESS THAN WITH THIS ONGOING STORM,
BUT STILL SHOVEL-ABLE WITH A 10-20% CHANCE OF 2+ INCHES FOR FAR
WESTERN NV LOCATIONS.
FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, IT LOOKS LIKE A GOOD DAY TO ASSESS ANY
STORM DAMAGE AND CLEAR AREAS OUT. WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME EARLY
STRONG SIGNALS FOR ANOTHER STORM FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK, WITH ARRIVAL
AS EARLY AS SUNDAY NIGHT. PLAN ON ANOTHER ROUND OF GUSTY WINDS,
SIERRA SNOW, AND POSSIBLY SOME VALLEY RAIN AS THIS IS A WETTER, MORE
MILD SYSTEM FOR NOW.
-EDAN
AVIATION
* SIERRA TERMINALS (KTVL, KTRK, KMMH): MAJOR AVIATION IMPACTS
INCLUDING AIRPORT CLOSURES CONTINUE THROUGH LATE TONIGHT WITH
PROLONGED PERIODS OF IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS, SNOW COVERED RUNWAYS AND
GUSTY-STRONG WINDS PRODUCING BLOWING SNOW, WIDESPREAD TURBULENCE
AND SHEAR.
* WESTERN NV TERMINALS (KRNO, KCXP, KMEV): WIDESPREAD AVIATION
IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED UNTIL 04-06Z THIS EVENING WITH NEARLY
CONTINUOUS SNOW PRODUCING PERIODS OF IFR OR LIFR CONDITIONS, AND
SURFACE GUSTS NEAR 35 KT. 40-60% CHANCE FOR RUNWAY ACCUMULATIONS
AT LEAST 4" AT THE MAIN TERMINALS.
CONDITIONS IMPROVE TEMPORARILY FOR WEDNESDAY, BUT ANOTHER QUICK
STORM MAY BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW AND WIND IMPACTS ON THURSDAY.
SNOW PROBABILITIES FOR THURSDAY KMMH/KTVL/KTRK 35% CHANCE OF 4",
WHILE KRNO/CXP/KMEV 10-15% CHANCE OF 2".
-EDAN
AVALANCHE
OUR MAJOR, MULTI-DAY WINTER STORM CONTINUES WITH IMPACTS TO ALL
AVALANCHE CENTER TERRAIN THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
* SNOWFALL TOTALS AND RATES: THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING, 1-3
FEET OF SNOW ALONG THE CREST, WITH LOCALLY UP TO 4 FEET ALONG THE
HIGHEST PEAKS. HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES WILL BE THROUGH THE
EVENING, WITH RATES OF 3-4"/HR ACROSS MOST AVALANCHE CENTER
TERRAIN (LOCALIZED RATES OF 3+"/HR IN SOUTHERN MONO COUNTY). THIS
IS DUE TO THE HIGHER SLRS.
* SLRS AND SWE: EXPECT SLRS OF 14-16:1 DUE TO COLDER AIR MOVING INTO
THE AREA. SWE OF 1-3" THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING, WITH UP TO
3.5" ALONG THE HIGHEST PEAKS, MAINLY IN SOUTHERN MONO COUNTY.
* RIDGETOP GUSTS: SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 70-90 MPH THROUGH MUCH OF TODAY
WITH LOCALIZED GUSTS EXCEEDING 100+ MPH THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING.
* NEXT STORM PUSHES IN THURSDAY WITH A QUICK ADDITIONAL BUMP OF 0.50-
1.00 SWE AND 8-16 INCHES OF SNOW. SOUTHWEST WIND GUSTS 60-80 MPH
WITH GUSTS 90+ MPH THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.
-GIRALTE/EDAN
REV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NV...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY NVZ001-004-005.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 AM PST WEDNESDAY NVZ002.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 AM TO 10 PM PST THURSDAY NVZ002.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY NVZ003.
CA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY CAZ070.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 AM PST WEDNESDAY CAZ071>073.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 AM TO 10 PM PST THURSDAY
CAZ071>073.
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