Nevada Annual Rainfall and Climate Data, see below for individual cities 

 

Nevada city precipitation totals

City Avg Annual Precip Avg Annual Snow Avg # days of Precip

Avg # thunderstorm days

 Avg # hail days Avg # severe thunderstorm watches per year Avg # tornado watches per year # of tornadoes reported in county, 1960-2010
Elko 9.59 39.0 78 19 2 0 1 16
Ely 9.97 49.3 74 30 1 0 1 10
Las Vegas 4.49 1.2 26 13 0 0 1 11
Reno 7.48 25.0 50 14 1 0 0 12
Winnemucca 8.33 23.2 68 17 1 0 1 5
  • Nevada Annual Precipitation Average - 9.54 inches, driest state in the U.S.
  • Nevada Tornado Average - 1.0 per year - 45th most in the U.S. 
  • Largest reported Tornado in Nevada from 1950-2011, 5/13/1970 - 440 yards / .25 miles wide
  • Date with highest number of reported Tornadoes in Nevada from 1950-2011, June 11th - 3 tornadoes
  • Average time of occurrence of reported Tornadoes in Nevada from 1950-2011 - 1:58 pm
  • Nevada Annual Lightning Density - 1.4 flashes per square mile - 44th highest in U.S. 
  • Record Driest year in Nevada from 1895-2012 - 1928, avg precipitation 4.88 inches - all-time driest year for any state 
  • Record Wettest year in Nevada from 1895-2012 - 1983, avg precipitation 15.83 inches

Nevada Precipitation Records

  • Driest location ranked by lowest annual average precipitation: Indian Springs, northwestern Nevada, 2.91"
  • Wettest location ranked by highest annual average precipitation: Mount Rose, northwestern Nevada, 30.60"
  • Snowiest location ranked by highest annual average snowfall: Marlett Lake, western Nevada, 241.0"
  • State precipitation record for 24 hours - Cloverdale Ranch, southern Nevada,5/29/1896, 8.06"
  • State precipitation record for 1 year - Mount Rose, northwestern Nevada, 1969, 59.03"
  • State snowfall record for 24 hours - Hickman, southeastern Nebraska, 2/11/1965, 24.0"
  • State snow record for 1 season - Daggett Pass, northwestern Nevada, 1968-1969, 412.0"
  • The record at Las Vegas for consecutive days without measurable precipitation is 150 days, from 2/22/1959-7/21/1959 while the record for consecutive days with measurable precipitation is only 6 days, from 2/24/2003-3/1/2003
  • From January through December, there are only 22 days when the daily precipitation record exceeds 1.00" at Las Vegas
  • Although Reno averages 72 days of rain per year, it is usually very light and less than 1/2 inch. The city averages only 1 day per year with rainfall above 1/2 inch in one day
  • Nevada possesses 22 of the Top 25 driest years for any state. The record driest year was 1929, when the state averaged only 4.88 inches of rainfall. 
Data sources: National Climatic Data Center, Severe thunderstorm / tornado watch data period is 1999 - 2008, NOAA Storm Prediction Center, Tornado climate data - NOAA Storm Prediction Center, State lightning flash density average - 1997-2011, Vaisala