National Weather Service – Reno
Devils Windstorm 2011
• Rhett Milne • Warning Coordination Meteorologist • National Weather Service – Reno
NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov Storm Summary
• Strong Winds 6pm-6am (Nov 30th-Dec 1st) • Core of Strongest winds 10pm-4am • Fairly long duration wind event of this magnitude • Most trees were uprooted not snapped and fell in NE/SW orientation • Exceptionally strong NNE Winds. Area used to very strong SW winds and some strong East winds.
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NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov Not many drainages with NNE/SW Orientation
NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov Strong Wind Channeling: Mammoth Crest-Minarets/Ritter Range Down the Middle Fork San Joaquin River accelerating
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NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov Jet Stream 30,000 feet
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NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov Jet Stream 30,000 feet
NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov Winds 30 meters off the ground
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NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov Surface Pressure Gradient
NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov
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NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov Upward/Downward Motion at 10,000 feet
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NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov Did the Jet Stream Touch Down?
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NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov Schematic - Crude
NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov
NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov Summary • Exceptionally strong pressure gradients drove the NE Winds • Weather Models predicted the wind event well • Topography and winds were perfectly aligned for downslope windstorm in NE/SW oriented steep drainage • Stability, pressure gradients, topography favored a “Hydraulic Jump” downslope windstorm • Jet Stream Touchdown very unlikely and not observed in Satellite or Model data
NOAA National Weather Service weather.gov