Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Las Vegas, NV

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433 FXUS65 KVEF 171632 RRA AFDVEF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 932 AM PDT Tue Sep 17 2024 .SYNOPSIS...Conditions dry out today with temperatures over 10 degrees cooler than yesterday. Another low pressure system drops into the region mid-to-late week, which will reinforce below-average temperatures and return precipitation chances to the southern Great Basin. Conditions dry out once again through the weekend as temperatures rebound back to above-average. && .UPDATE...
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Satellite imagery this morning showed a trough spinning in northeast Nevada. Withe the trough axis through much of the region, it was dry with clear skies in most locations. A pocket of moisture situated over central Nevada combined with very cold temperatures aloft was enough for widespread clouds and a few showers to develop in the Great Basin Region, which brushed into Esmeralda County. The biggest change since yesterday is temperatures. Compared to this time yesterday, temperatures are about 10-15 degrees cooler, so a noticable change in the temperatures for sure! In general, expecting quiet weather through the afternoon. A few showers may skirt northern Esmeralda and northern Lincoln counties through the afternoon as the upper level system slowly lifts northeast away from the area, however with a lack of forcing these showers will be weak and no impacts are expected. Winds will be much lighter than yesterday with gusts likely (80& chance or greater) remaining under 20 MPH across the region. With cool temperatures, it will be a pleasant fall-like day today. No changes were made to the afternoon forecast. -Nickerson-
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&& .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
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251 AM PDT Tue Sep 17 2024 .SHORT TERM...Today through Wednesday. The weather system that brought gusty winds to the region and isolated showers and thunderstorms to the southwestern Great Basin yesterday will push northeastward out of our forecast area today. In its wake include light winds and a temperature drop of over 10 degrees. Clear skies and dry conditions expected today for most, though remnant moisture will result in partly cloudy skies and slight chances of an isolated light shower in the far northern fringes of our forecast area (northern Esmeralda, central Nye, and northern Lincoln counties). Temperatures rebound somewhat on Wednesday, but remain below- average, due to brief height increases ahead of the approach of a secondary cool weather system. This closed low will slide along the California coast before pushing into the Desert Southwest late Wednesday night. Southerly winds will modestly increase with gust speeds between 15 and 25 mph as pressure gradients increase over the region. Late-Wednesday, slight precipitation chances return to Esmeralda County and will continue to spread east and south with the approach of the aforementioned low. .LONG TERM...Thursday through Monday. Not much change to previous thinking. Models remain in good agreement showing unseasonably deep low pressure centered near Point Conception Thursday. On its front side, moisture and lift should combine to bring chances for showers and maybe a few thunderstorms to areas northwest of I-15, with the best chances from the Sierra Nevada range into Esmeralda County. Model consensus for Friday shows the low slowly drifting east across the Mojave Desert, with most of the uncertainty centered around how slowly it moves. As it traverses our area, instability associated with the cold temps aloft should fuel scattered showers and thunderstorms. Saturday looks like the day with the most uncertainty, as most model perturbations show the low center off to our east, but a sizable minority depict a slower movement and leave it lingering over our area for one more day. If the faster movement pans out, Saturday would be dry with several degrees of warming; if the slower solutions verify better, we would expect less warming and one more day of showery weather. As high pressure builds in from the west, Sunday and Monday should be dry and warm, with temperatures close to normal for mid September.
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&& .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...Breezy southwest winds with occasional gusts of 15 to 20 knots will relax approaching sunrise and trend light and variable. Confidence in wind direction is low, but a general trend of light southeast winds through 20z before shifting more northerly in the afternoon. Light southwesterly drainage winds will resume overnight. Skies will be mostly clear through the period. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...Generally light winds are expected for the regional TAF sites today, with wind patterns following typical diurnal trends. Exception will be near KDAG where breezy west winds will persist through the morning with gusts to 20 knots before easing by the afternoon... only to return after sunset with occasional gusts to 20 knots. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && $$ SHORT TERM...Soulat LONG TERM...Morgan AVIATION...Outler For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter