Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Las Vegas, NV

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124 FXUS65 KVEF 170247 AFDVEF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 747 PM PDT Mon Sep 16 2024 .SYNOPSIS...A large low pressure system will slowly move across California and Nevada bringing widespread gusty south to southwest winds to the region through this evening along with a significant cooling trend. A second trough of low pressure will move across the area midweek bringing a reinforcing shot of cool air along with scattered showers. && .UPDATE...
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Winds were decreasing this evening, so the Wind Advisory and Lake Wind Advisory will expire on schedule. No other changes at this time.
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&& .PREV DISCUSSION...
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1259 PM PDT Mon Sep 16 2024 .SHORT TERM...The Rest of Today through Wednesday night. Autumn-like weather is expected the next few days as an upper level trough continues to influence our weather pattern. The upper level low currently situated over northern California will move through Nevada tonight. By Tuesday morning, the center of the low will be moving into western Utah. Behind the system, anticyclonic flow is expected to set up. Precipitation chances will quickly drop behind the trough axis, with much of the area becoming dry with little to no risk for precipitation by 10 PM tonight. However- despite the typically dry flow with winds aloft turning northwest, lingering moisture that was attached to the main system will continue to sit over the Great Basin tonight and Tuesday. This moisture will not be significant, however it may be enough for a few showers to develop tonight and Tuesday. No impacts are expected if precipitation can develop given the lack of dynamics. Probabilities for impactful rainfall is zero so at most, could see a quick shower tonight or Tuesday in northern Esmeralda and northern Lincoln counties. The flow will turn west as the low lifts into the Northern Plains Tuesday night which will scour out any left over moisture. Precipitation is not expected Tuesday night or Wednesday. Winds will decrease behind the exiting system as well as the pressure gradient decreases. By late this evening, wind gusts should fall below impactful levels as gusts fall below 40 MPH. Isolated gusts over 40 MPH may linger into the early overnight in Mohave County as well as the western Mojave Desert in California. Considered extending the wind advisory for these ares past the current end time of 7 PM tonight. However, NBM probabilities for wind gusts over 40 MPH fall to 30% in these areas after 7PM. HREF probabilities for 40 MPH do remain over 50% in the Western Mojave Desert through much of the night, however the highest probabilities are anchored to the terrain. Overall, wind impacts should drop off enough by tonight that didnt see the need to extend the wind advisory past the current end time. Some gusts over 40MPH could continue around the Barstow, CA area overnight as west winds are enhanced through the terrain, and later shifts should watch trends to see if the stronger HREF solution verifies over the NBM which would mean wind impacts would linger through the night in that area. By Tuesday morning, winds will drop off and no wind impacts are expected through midweek. Cooler temperatures than normal temperatures are likely (near 100% probability) Tuesday and Wednesday as dry, northwest to west flow remains over the region. High temperatures each day will run about 10-15 degrees below normal for this time of the year. The next system will approach the region Wednesday night as it drops down the West Coast into California. The trend with the system in the latest model runs is slower than previously, which delays the onset of precipitation. There is a low risk for precipitation in Esmeralda County Wednesday night as forcing increases ahead of the incoming system, however anything that develops with be light and non impactful. The rest of the region will remain dry through Wednesday night. .LONG TERM...Thursday through Sunday. The next low pressure system will continue to drop southeast from the Pacific Northwest into California/Nevada on Thursday. One impact from this system will be elevated southerly to southwesterly winds as a tight pressure gradient passes overhead. There is not a strong signal for widespread gusts over 40 mph at this time, but will continue to monitor trends. A modest increase in moisture associated with the low may bring another opportunity for precipitation, particularly over the southern Great Basin where forcing under the center of the low should be strongest. Lastly, it should help maintain temperatures 10 to 15 degrees below average through the rest of the workweek. One the trough exits to the east, a ridge over the Pacific Ocean will expand into the western United States, bringing rising heights and closer to average temperatures over the weekend.
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&& .AVIATION...Gusty southwesterly winds will continue through the afternoon before becoming more west-southwesterly during the early evening hours. Winds will fall back to the southwest during the overnight hours with gusts gradually decreasing through early Tuesday morning. Light winds following typical diurnal directional trends are expected on Tuesday. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...KHND and KVGT will follow similar trends to KLAS with gusty southwesterly winds continuing through the evening hours. KHND will continue to favor a more southerly to southwesterly direction with guts decreasing throughout the overnight hours. KVGT will see winds decrease and swing around to the northwest during the overnight hours. KDAG will favor a westerly direction with 35 knot wind gusts continuing into the overnight hours before decreasing Tuesday morning. The Colorado River Valley TAF sites will see gusty southerly winds continue into the overnight hours before wind gusts drop off. Once wind gusts drop off KEED will become more southwesterly, whereas KIFP will favor a more south-southeasterly direction. KBIH will favor a more northerly direction with 20 to 25 knot wind gusts continuing into the evening hours. Showers and thunderstorms will pop up in the higher terrain surrounding KBIH with the potential for storms to move into the terminal area this afternoon and early evening. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && $$ UPDATE...Morgan SHORT TERM...Nickerson LONG TERM...Meltzer AVIATION...Stessman For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter