Winter is back … and probably on a grand scale.
According to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service, up to 7 inches of snow and gusts of wind up to 45 miles per hour are expected in the Spring Mountains and Sheep Range on Thursday, with a high probability of rain in the Las Vegas Valley.
A winter weather alert runs from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Spring Mountains with a similar notice for Lincoln County. Both call for 3 to 7 inches of snow over 6,000 feet.
Are you ready for the next storm and cool temperatures? Both are out and about in gusty winds. #cawx #nvwx #azwx pic.twitter.com/rM7HPFsDDT
– NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) December 8, 2021
Difficult travel conditions are recommended for Lee and Kyle Canyons in the Spring Mountains, as well as US Highway 93 north of Pioche and State Route 319 west of Panaca in Lincoln County.
“The consultation starts at 4 a.m., but it is likely that day will break when the snow starts,” said Brian Planz, weather service meteorologist, of the snow in the Mount Charleston area. “It will last until the middle of the day before it slows down.”
In the valley, showers of a few hundredths of an inch are expected late morning to afternoon, likely to stop before rush hour.
“We can get a tenth of an inch in some places,” said Planz.
Light rain at McCarran
McCarran International Airport peaked at 66 on Wednesday and recorded 0.02 inches of rain overnight.
A Thursday high of around 59 is forecast for Las Vegas. Wind gusts of up to 60 km / h are expected. McCarran has a 70 percent chance of getting rain, with a higher chance of getting towards Moapa, Planz said.
In Las Vegas, Thursday night conditions are partly cloudy with a low of about 41. The winds should drop to less than 10 miles per hour.
The highs for the weekend will be in the mid-1950s.
The storm could be mild compared to a forecast for Monday through Tuesday that is expected to bring up to a quarter of an inch of rain in parts of the valley early next week.
Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter.
