Entries by Larry

Damaging winds from a nearby thunderstorm overturned two small planes at the North Las Vegas airport and knocked down a few power poles at the intersection of Craig Road and Rancho Drive.

Source: NWS Las Vegas

A total of 1.25 inches of rain was recorded in Las Vegas. Several roads became flooded and impassable and many people were stranded by standing water.

Source: NWS Las Vegas

Lightning started a fire in the Spring Mountains that would be named the Lost Cabin Fire. The fire burned 4340 acres and threatened 460 residences, 13 commercial properties, and 200 outbuildings. The fire was contained a week later on July 20th with no injuries or lost structures.

Above courtesy NWS Las Vegas

With the 2010 Monsoon Season underway in the Southwest, lightning and its inherent dangers will be on the increase over the next several weeks. With this in mind, check out this excellent page that has been brought to my attention from one of the visitors to the site: http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Article/lightning-information-and-safety-for-kids

You can also find it by going to our Weather Links page and clicking on the link titled Lightning Information and Safety Site .

Remember: When Thunder Roars Go Indoors!

NOTE...AVERAGES AND TOTALS LISTED ARE AS OF 530 PM JUNE 30.

AFTER A SPRING THAT STUCK AROUND LONGER THAN MOST...THE CHANGE OF
THE CALENDAR TO JUNE FINALLY BROUGHT ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES BACK
TO THE JUST ABOUT THE ENTIRE AREA. WHILE ALL AREAS SAW NEAR TO BELOW
NORMAL READINGS DURING METEOROLOGICAL SPRING OR THE MARCH THROUGH
MAY PERIOD...MANY AREAS...ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE SOUTHERN GREAT
BASIN...ALSO SAW BELOW NORMAL READINGS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.

OVERALL THE WEATHER PATTERN THIS MONTH WAS DOMINATED BY STORM
SYSTEMS MOVING ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN ROCKIES.
WHILE THESE STORMS STAYED WELL NORTH OF THE MOJAVE DESERT AND
SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN FOR THE MOST PART THEY OFTEN KEPT THE
UPPER-LEVEL FLOW IN THE ATMOSPHERE IN A POSITION THAT KEPT OUT ANY
PUSHES OF HOT AIR. HOWEVER...WHEN HOTTER AIR WAS ABLE TO GET IN
HERE...IT WAS IN HERE AND THERE WERE TWO PERIODS DURING THE MONTH TO
FEATURE WELL ABOVE NORMAL READINGS.

A FAIRLY FLAT FLOW AT THE START OF THE MONTH EVENTUALLY TRANSITIONED
TO A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE BY THE 5TH. THIS RIDGE ALLOWED FOR
WIDESPREAD ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE AREA WITH SOME
LOCATIONS SETTING OR TYING RECORD HIGH MAXIMUMS ON THE 6TH AND 7TH.
BY THE 9TH THE STRONG UPPER RIDGE THAT WAS OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN
UNITED STATES WAS SHUNTED EASTWARD BY AN ANOMALOUSLY STRONG
UPPER-LEVEL LOW THAT MOVED TOWARDS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THIS LOW
EVENTUALLY PUSHED SOUTHWARD INTO THE GREAT BASIN BY THE 11TH AND
DRASTICALLY PLUMMETED TEMPERATURES SOME 10-20 DEGREES FROM WHERE
THEY WERE JUST A FEW DAYS EARLIER. THIS LOW WAS ACCOMPANIED BY JUST
ENOUGH MOISTURE TO PRODUCED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND EVEN A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA ON THE 12TH MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS OF THE AREA FROM INTERSTATE 40 NORTHWARD. THE HEAVIEST
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED OVER NORTHERN MOHAVE COUNTY WHERE
LOCALIZED RAINFALL AMOUNTS EXCEEDING A HALF OF AN INCH WERE
REPORTED. HAIL AS LARGE AS DIME SIZE WAS REPORTED IN COLORADO CITY
AZ ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE 12TH. WINDS FROM NEARBY STORM ACTIVITY
ALSO DOWNED SEVERAL TREES IN BUNKERVILLE NV THAT SAME DAY. EARLIER
IN THE MORNING A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS MOVED OVER THE EASTERN SIERRA
NEVADA AND PRODUCED SNOW SHOWERS AS LOW AS 8000 FEET. AT ASPENDELL
ONE-TENTH OF AN INCH OF SNOW WAS MEASURED BY THE CO-OP OBSERVER AT
8500 FEET.

ONCE THIS LOW MOVED NORTHEAST AND AWAY FROM THE AREA...MAINLY DRY
WEATHER PERSISTED. ANOTHER STRONG UPPER LOW MOVED INTO THE GREAT
BASIN ON THE 16TH AND PUSHED A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA THAT
PRODUCED WIDESPREAD GUSTY WINDS FOR THE FINAL TIME THIS SEASON IN
ASSOCIATION WITH A COLD FRONT WITH GUSTS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER IN
MANY LOCATIONS.

TEMPERATURES REMAINED ON THE COOL SIDE THROUGH THE 23RD BEFORE
FINALLY MODERATING TO ABOVE NORMAL READINGS TOWARDS THE CLOSE OF THE
MONTH AS HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT BUILT BACK INTO THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED
STATES. HOWEVER NOT ALL OF THE AREA WAS HIGH AND DRY. A FEW WEAK
SYSTEMS MOVED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN AND TRIGGERED SOME
VERY LIGHT SHOWERS AND EVEN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS ON THE 21ST AND AGAIN ON THE 25TH. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED ALSO DEVELOPED EACH AFTERNOON ACROSS
NORTHERN MOHAVE COUNTY ON THE 25TH...28TH...29TH AND 30TH AND
PRODUCED VERY LIGHT PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS.

...LAS VEGAS...

TEMPERATURES AVERAGED 87.5 DEGREES AT MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
- THE OFFICIAL CLIMATE STATION FOR LAS VEGAS - RESULTING IN THE
FIRST MONTH WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES SINCE FEBRUARY. THIS
RANKED AS THE 14TH WARMEST JUNE ON RECORD SINCE 1937. NOT
SURPRISINGLY THIS WAS DUE TO THE VERY WARM LOW TEMPERATURES WHICH
AVERAGED OUT TO 75.8 DEGREES AND RANKED AS THE 8TH WARMEST EVER FOR
JUNE. THIS WAS AN IMPRESSIVE 3.6 DEGREES ABOVE WHAT THE AVERAGE LOW
TEMPERATURE WAS FOR THE MONTH AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE
WHICH IS LOCATED JUST 2 MILES TO THE SOUTHWEST OF MCCARRAN. THE
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE MEANWHILE FOR JUNE 2010 WAS 99.2 DEGREES
THIS PAST MONTH WHICH WAS 0.3 DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL AVERAGE HIGH
TEMPERATURE FOR JUNE IS 98.9 DEGREES.

THE HOTTEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH AT MCCARRAN WAS 110 DEGREES
WHICH WAS SET ON THE 6TH AND MARKED THE EARLIEST 110 DEGREE HIGH
TEMPERATURE OR GREATER EVER RECORDED IN LAS VEGAS MAKING THIS THE
OUTSTANDING WEATHER EVENT OF THE MONTH IN LAS VEGAS. MCCARRAN SAW A
TOTAL OF 16 TRIPLE DIGIT HIGHS WHICH IS EXACTLY NORMAL FOR THE
MONTH. ELSEWHERE IN THE VALLEY THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE AT AN
OFFICIAL WEATHER STATION WAS ALSO 110 DEGREES AT THE NORTH LAS VEGAS
AIRPORT ON THE 7TH. HENDERSON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT REACHED 109 DEGREES
ON THE 6TH AND 28TH. THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURES AT THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AND THE NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT WERE 108
DEGREES AND BOTH WERE RECORDED ON THE 6TH.

THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED AT MCCARRAN WAS 64 DEGREES ON THE
13TH. THIS WAS THE COOLEST MORNING OF THE MONTH AS WELL AT ALL OTHER
OFFICIAL VALLEY WEATHER STATIONS. THE HENDERSON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT
RECORDED A LOW OF 59 DEGREES WHILE AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICE THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED TO 60 DEGREES. MEANWHILE AT NELLIS
AIR FORCE BASE THE LOW DROPPED TO 63 DEGREES AND IN NORTH LAS VEGAS
THE THERMOMETER BOTTOMED OUT AT 64 DEGREES AT THE AIRPORT AND 65
DEGREES AT THE CO-OP STATION.

PRECIPITATION WAS SCARCE ACROSS THE VALLEY AND WHERE IT OCCURRED
FELL ON THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON OF THE 12TH. THE OFFICIAL CLIMATE
STATION AT MCCARRAN SAW JUST A TRACE FALL. NORMALLY JUNE IS THE
DRIEST MONTH OF THE YEAR IN LAS VEGAS WITH 0.08 INCH FALLING.
RAINFALL WAS GREATEST OVER THE FAR WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY IN
SUMMERLIN WITH MANY NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE NORTH AND EAST SIDES SEEING
NO RAIN AT ALL. SOME SPECIFIC MONTHLY TOTALS FROM ACROSS THE VALLEY
INCLUDE...

SUMMERLIN - COCORAHS 0.14 INCH
SUMMERLIN NORTHWEST - CCRFCD 0.08 INCH
SUMMERLIN - CHARLESTON & RAMPART - CCRFCD 0.04 INCH
CIMARRON & SPRING MOUNTAIN - COCORAHS 0.03 INCH
ANTHEM - COCORAHS TRACE
FLAMINGO & BOULDER HIGHWAY - COCORAHS TRACE
HENDERSON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT TRACE
HENDERSON - ROBINDALE & PECOS - COCORAHS TRACE
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE TRACE
NWS LAS VEGAS TRACE
OAKEY AND JONES - COCORAHS TRACE
TENAYA & WASHINGTON - COCORAHS TRACE

WINDS WERE HIGHEST ON THE 10TH AND 11TH AND AGAIN ON THE 16TH AS
STORM SYSTEMS MOVED THROUGH THE AREA. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH OR
GREATER WERE RECORDED ON EACH OF THOSE DAYS AT MCCARRAN. THE HIGHEST
GUST FOR JUNE 2010 WAS 44 MPH ON THE 11TH AND 16TH.

...ELSEWHERE IN THE MOJAVE DESERT AND SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN...

JUNE 2010 WAS A WARM AND DRY MONTH ACROSS THE AREA. AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES WERE ABOVE NORMAL ALTHOUGH THE DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL
WERE LOWEST ACROSS LINCOLN...CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN NYE AND NORTHERN
MOHAVE COUNTIES. THESE AREAS SAW THE GREATEST IMPACT FROM SYSTEMS
MOVING THROUGH THE REGION AND THUS THIS LOWERED TEMPERATURES THERE
MORE THAN IN OTHER AREAS. THE WARMTH THIS MONTH WAS LARGELY DUE TO
THE WARMER THAN NORMAL LOW TEMPERATURES ESPECIALLY AT NEEDLES AND
DEATH VALLEY. AT DEATH VALLEY THE AVERAGE LOW WAS 84.9 DEGREES WHICH
RANKED AS THE 8TH WARMEST EVER SINCE 1911.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURES AND DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL FOR A FEW
LOCATIONS...

LOCATION JUNE 2010 DEPARTURE
AVG. TEMP FROM NORMAL
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BARSTOW-DAGGETT AIRPORT 83.6 +1.6
BISHOP 72.7 +1.6
DEATH VALLEY 97.9 +3.4
DESERT ROCK 79.5 +1.1
KINGMAN 77.9 +0.2
MT CHARLESTON 60.7 +1.7
NEEDLES 91.6 +1.3

* CALCULATED BASED ON TIME SHIFTING HIGHS TO CALENDAR DAY.

AT AN OFFICIAL CLIMATE STATION THE HOT HONORS...AS IT TYPICALLY DOES
THIS TIME OF YEAR...GOES TO FURNACE CREEK IN DEATH VALLEY WHERE THE
HIGH TEMPERATURE REACHED 123 DEGREES ON THE 28TH. THERE WERE 3 DAYS
WITH A HIGH TEMPERATURE AT FURNACE CREEK OF 120 DEGREES OR BETTER IN
JUNE. ELSEWHERE THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURES OF THE MONTH INCLUDED 115
DEGREES AT OVERTON NV ON THE 28TH AND BULLHEAD CITY AZ ON THE
30TH...114 DEGREES AT KATHERINE LANDING AZ ON THE 28TH AND AT
LAUGHLIN AND MESQUITE NV ON THE 28TH AND AGAIN AT LAUGHLIN ON THE
30TH...113 DEGREES AT LAKE HAVASU CITY AZ ON THE 30TH AND ALSO AT
AMBOY...BAKER AND NEEDLES CA ON THE 28TH AND AGAIN AT NEEDLES ON THE
29TH AND 30TH. FOR MOST LOCATIONS ELSEWHERE IN THE AREA THE HOTTEST
TEMPERATURES OF THE MONTH WERE RECORDED ON THE 28TH.

THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH AT AN OFFICIAL CLIMATE STATION
WAS AT SPRING VALLEY STATE PARK NV WHICH DROPPED TO A CHILLY 25
DEGREES ON THE MORNING OF THE 17TH. ELSEWHERE THE LOWEST READINGS OF
THE MONTH INCLUDED 33 DEGREES ON THE 12TH AT KYLE CANYON ON MT
CHARLESTON NV...34 DEGREES ON THE 11TH AT ASPENDELL CA AND 38
DEGREES AT DIAMOND M RANCH AZ ON THE 13TH.

PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA WAS GREATEST OVER NORTHERN MOHAVE
COUNTY AND ALSO IN LINCOLN COUNTY WHERE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
MAINLY ON THE 12TH PRODUCED BETWEEN A QUARTER AND A HALF OF AN INCH
OF RAIN WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. THE HIGHEST AMOUNT REPORTED WAS
FROM AN AUTOMATED GAUGE NORTHEAST OF DOLAN SPRINGS AZ IN THE
ARCHIBOLD WASH THAT MEASURED 0.94 INCH WHILE THE IMMIGRATION WASH
RAWS IN LINCOLN COUNTY NV MEASURED 0.82 INCH. AT AN OFFICIAL CLIMATE
STATION THE WETTEST LOCATION WAS SPRING VALLEY STATE PARK NV WHICH
RECORDED 0.45 INCH DURING THIS EVENT WHILE CALIENTE NV MEASURED 0.42
INCH. MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION ALSO FELL ON MT CHARLESTON WITH
BETWEEN A QUARTER AND A HALF OF AN INCH FALLING WHILE A FEW
HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH FELL IN PARTS OF THE EASTERN MOJAVE NATIONAL
PRESERVE JUST OVER THE BORDER IN CALIFORNIA. THIS EVENT ALSO
PRODUCED AMOUNTS AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH IN THE COLORADO RIVER
VALLEY FROM LAUGHLIN AND BULLHEAD CITY SOUTHWARD TO NEEDLES. THE
DRIEST PART OF THE AREA WHERE NO PRECIPITATION AT ALL FELL FOR THE
MONTH WAS FROM THE OWENS VALLEY AND DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
SOUTHWARD TO THE MORONGO AND CADIZ BASINS. NO PRECIPITATION ALSO
FELL IN THE MESQUITE-BUNKERVILLE AREA OF NEVADA AND IN THE LOWER
ELEVATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN HALF OF MOHAVE COUNTY AWAY FROM THE
COLORADO RIVER.

SNOW WAS LIMITED TO THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE EASTERN SIERRA
NEVADA AND THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT CHARLESTON NV. ASPENDELL CALIFORNIA
MEASURED 0.1 INCH OF SNOW ON THE 12TH. SNOW WAS STILL COVERING PARTS
OF THE HIGHEST PEAKS ABOVE 11000 FEET AT THE CLOSE OF THE MONTH WITH
GREATER COVERAGE IN THE EASTERN SIERRA NEVADA.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS PRELIMINARY AND IS SUBJECT TO A FINAL
REVIEW BEFORE BEING CERTIFIED BY THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER.

Above courtesy NWS Las Vegas

In the United States, there are an estimated 25 million lightning flashes each year. During the past 30 years, lightning killed an average of 58 people per year. This is higher than 57 deaths per year caused by tornadoes and average 48 deaths to hurricanes. Yet because lightning usually claims only one or two victims at a time and does not cause mass destruction of property, it is underrated as a risk. While documented lightning injuries in the United States average about 300 per year, undocumented injuries are likely much higher.

Check this site for handouts, indoor safety and outdoor risk reduction tips, medical facts, history, survivor stories, photos, teacher tools, kids page and more.
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/

A lightning strike about 12 miles south of Mesquite started a wildfire that charred over 8400 acres. The fire was named the Nickel Fire and burned until June 23rd. The fire caused two minor injuries, but no structures were lost.

Above courtesy NWS Las Vegas

With the month of June half way over and the Summer season fast approaching, can the 2010 Monsoon season be far behind?

For everything you wanted to know about the Monsoon, check out this very informative page courtesy of the NWS office in Las Vegas http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/vef/monsoon/monsoon_info.php

MAY 2010 CONTINUED RIGHT WHERE APRIL 2010 LEFT OFF WITH COOLER AND
DRIER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS DOMINATING THROUGHOUT THE MONTH. DAYS
WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES WERE ALMOST AS SCARCE AS DAYS WITH
PRECIPITATION WERE DURING MAY. MAY 2010 COULD BEST BE DESCRIBED AS
THE MONTH OF THE TROUGH AS THE COOL WEATHER EXPERIENCED DURING THE
MONTH WAS DUE TO UPPER LEVEL TROUGHING BEING RATHER PERSISTENT OVER
THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. DESPITE THE PASSAGE OF A NUMBER OF STORM
SYSTEMS IN MAY...MOST OF THEM WERE DRY...AND THUS BROUGHT VERY
LITTLE...IF ANY...PRECIPITATION WITH THEM AS THEY IMPACTED THE AREA.

THE MONTH STARTED OFF WITH A DEEP TROUGH IN PLACE ACROSS THE WESTERN
UNITED STATES. BY THE 3RD AN UPPER RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC
NOSED INTO THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES ALLOWING FOR A SHORT LIVED
PERIOD OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ON THE 4TH AND 5TH. MANY LOWER
DESERT VALLEYS IN THE MOJAVE DESERT SAW THEIR FIRST 90 DEGREE OR
BETTER HIGH TEMPERATURE OF THE YEAR ON THE 4TH.

AN UPPER LEVEL LOW DIVING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST ON THE 5TH
INCREASED WINDS WITH MANY AREAS SEEING GUSTS OVER 40 MPH IN THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THIS LOW CAUSED THE MAIN FLOW ALOFT TO
FLATTEN OUT ACROSS THE WEST WHICH RESULTED IN TEMPERATURES THAT WERE
GENERALLY SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL ON THE 6TH AND 7TH. ALTHOUGH
TEMPERATURES BOUNCED BACK UP ON THE 8TH THIS WARMING WOULD BE
SHORT-LIVED AS ANOTHER UPPER LOW APPROACHED CALIFORNIA AND MOVED
ACROSS THE SILVER STATE ON THE 9TH. THIS SYSTEM WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A
STRONG JET STREAM THAT HELPED TO GENERATE POWERFUL WINDS ACROSS THE
AREA ON THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING OF THE 9TH. WIND GUSTS OVER
HURRICANE FORCE OCCURRED IN PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN SIERRA NEVADA
AND OWENS VALLEY WHILE WIDESPREAD GUSTS OF 45 TO 65 MPH OCCURRED
ELSEWHERE IN THE MOJAVE DESERT AND SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN. THE
STRONGEST GUST MEASURED WAS 88 MPH AT AN AUTOMATED STATION NEAR
INDEPENDENCE LOCATED AT AN ELEVATION OF 4842 FEET. THE HIGH WINDS
BLEW OVER A BIG RIG ON HIGHWAY 395 NORTH OF OLANCHA AND ALSO KNOCKED
DOWN POWER LINES IN THIS OWENS VALLEY COMMUNITY. IN INDEPENDENCE
SOME TREES FELL DOWN AND POWER OUTAGES OCCURRED IN GOLDFIELD NV.

BEHIND THIS LOW TEMPERATURES DROPPED TO SOME OF THE COLDEST READINGS
OF THE MONTH. ON THE MORNING OF THE 10TH THE TEMPERATURE AT THE
BISHOP AIRPORT DROPPED TO 25 DEGREES TYING THE ALL-TIME MAY RECORD
LOW LAST SET ON MAY 3RD 1964. ON THE HEELS OF THE LOW THAT IMPACTED
THE AREA ON THE 9TH A SECOND UPPER LOW DOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND INTO THE GREAT BASIN FROM THE 10TH INTO THE
12TH. THIS SECOND LOW BROUGHT ANOTHER ROUND OF INTENSE WINDS TO THE
AREA ON THE EVENING OF THE 10TH INTO THE MORNING OF THE 11TH. WINDS
GUSTED AS HIGH AS 78 MPH IN THE OWENS VALLEY NEAR INDEPENDENCE AND
TO 70 MPH AT HORSE THIEF SPRINGS IN THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
DESERT. ELSEWHERE GUSTS OF 45 TO 65 MPH WERE GENERALLY RECORDED. A
FEW VERY LIGHT SHOWERS ALSO ACCOMPANIED THIS SECOND LOW.

NORTHWEST FLOW ALLOWED COOL WEATHER TO LINGER ACROSS THE AREA
THROUGH THE 14TH BUT BY THE 15TH IT WAS TIME FOR A WARM-UP AS AN
UPPER RIDGE BUILT INTO THE AREA. THE 16TH WAS ONE OF THE RARE DAYS
OF THE MONTH TO FEATURE ABOVE NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURES. THIS WARMTH
WAS QUICKLY PUSHED OUT BY YET ANOTHER UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH THAT
BROUGHT MORE WINDS ON THE 17TH AND 18TH WITH GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH.
RIDGING BUILT BACK INTO THE SOUTHWEST ON THE 19TH ALLOWING FOR
TEMPERATURES TO WARM UP ONCE AGAIN. THIS WAS ONE OF ONLY THREE
PERIODS DURING THE MONTH WHERE HIGHS MANAGED TO REACH AT LEAST 90
DEGREES ON BACK-TO-BACK DAYS WITH THE WARMTH PEAKING IN MOST PLACES
ON THE 20TH.

ANOTHER UPPER LOW SETTLED IN OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BY THE 20TH
AND AS IT GRADUALLY PUSHED SOUTHWARD IT BROUGHT A POWERFUL JET
STREAM ACROSS THE AREA THAT GENERATED POTENT WINDS YET AGAIN WITH
MANY AREAS SEEING GUSTS OF 45 TO 65 MPH. PEAK GUSTS INCLUDED 67 MPH
AT RED ROCK CANYON IN NEVADA AND 65 MPH AT AN AUTOMATED STATION NEAR
INDEPENDENCE CALIFORNIA. AS THIS LOW DROPPED SOUTHWARD IT BROUGHT A
LATE SEASON CHILL TO THE AREA THAT PLUMMETED SNOW LEVELS DOWN TO
4500 FEET. UNLIKE MOST OF THE SYSTEMS TO IMPACT THE AREA THIS
MONTH...THIS LOW WAS ACCOMPANIED BY JUST ENOUGH MOISTURE THAT WHEN
COMBINED WITH THE FORCING THE LOW HAD ITSELF RESULTED IN SCATTED
SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER THE SOUTHERN
GREAT BASIN AND NORTHERN MOJAVE DESERT ON THE 23RD. OVER A HALF OF
FOOT OF SNOW FELL IN PARTS OF THE EASTERN SIERRA NEVADA ABOVE 8500
FEET WITH THREE TO FIVE INCHES FALLING IN THE SPRING MOUNTAINS OF
SOUTHERN NEVADA. THE EXTREMELY COLD AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW
RESULTED IN RECORD LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES AT LAS VEGAS...BISHOP
AND NEEDLES ON THE 23RD. PERHAPS MORE AMAZING WAS THAT THIS BLAST OF
COLD AIR PLUMMETED THE TEMPERATURE TO 25 DEGREES AT THE BISHOP
AIRPORT ON THE MORNING OF THE 22ND. THIS ONCE AGAIN TIED THE
ALL-TIME MONTHLY LOW FOR MAY OF 25 DEGREES RECORDED JUST 12 DAYS
EARLIER.

ALTHOUGH TEMPERATURES WARMED FROM THE 24TH INTO THE 25TH AS THE COLD
LOW DEPARTED TO THE EAST ANOTHER DEEP UPPER TROUGH SET UP ALONG THE
WEST COAST KEEPING TEMPERATURES BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE 30TH. THE
UPPER FLOW FINALLY FLATTENED OUT BY MEMORIAL DAY ALLOWING MAY TO
FINISH OFF ON THE WARM SIDE.

...LAS VEGAS...

MAY 2010 HAD AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 71.7 DEGREES AT MCCARRAN
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...THE OFFICIAL CLIMATE STATION FOR LAS VEGAS.
THIS WAS 3.7 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. THIS RANKS AS THE 16TH COLDEST
MAY EVER RECORDED IN LAS VEGAS SINCE RECORDS STARTED IN 1937. THIS
MADE IT THE COLDEST MAY SINCE 1998 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS
70.0 DEGREES. THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR MAY 2010 WAS 82.5
DEGREES AND THIS RANKED AS THE 8TH COLDEST EVER. HOWEVER THE AVERAGE
LOW TEMPERATURE WAS 60.8 DEGREES WHICH WHILE BEING 2.1 DEGREES BELOW
NORMAL WAS ONLY THE 39TH COLDEST ON RECORD.

THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH AT MCCARRAN WAS 96 DEGREES ON
MAY 31ST...MEMORIAL DAY. THIS WAS ALSO THE HOTTEST TEMPERATURE OF
THE MONTH AT THE NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT...HENDERSON EXECUTIVE
AIRPORT AND NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE WHICH WERE ALL RECORDED ON THE
31ST. AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE
FOR THE MONTH WAS 95 DEGREES ON THE 31ST. THERE WERE 7 DAYS WITH A
HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 90 DEGREES OR BETTER AT MCCARRAN IN MAY AND THIS
TIED 1971 FOR THE 5TH LOWEST TOTAL OF SUCH DAYS EVER ON RECORD SINCE
1937 (THE RECORD IS 3 DAYS IN MAY 1953). THE COLDEST HIGH
TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH AT MCCARRAN WAS 63 DEGREES ON THE 23RD
WHICH SET A NEW RECORD LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE.

THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH AT MCCARRAN WAS 49 DEGREES ON
THE 11TH. ELSEWHERE THE LOWEST TEMPERATURES AT AN OFFICIAL WEATHER
STATION IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY INCLUDED 46 DEGREES AT THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE ON THE 24TH...48 DEGREES AT THE NORTH LAS
VEGAS CO-OP ON THE 1ST AND AT THE HENDERSON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT ON THE
11TH...49 DEGREES AT THE NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT ON THE 11TH AND 50
DEGREES AT NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE ON THE 3RD. THE HIGHEST MINIMUM AT
MCCARRAN WAS 69 DEGREES ON THE 20TH.

SOME OTHER IMPRESSIVE TEMPERATURE STATISTICS FOR THE MONTH AT
MCCARRAN...

MAY 2010 HAD THE GREATEST DEPARTURE BELOW NORMAL SINCE NOVEMBER
2000 IN LAS VEGAS. THE 3.7 DEGREES THIS PAST MAY WAS THE MOST SINCE
THE 4.8 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL RECORDED IN NOVEMBER 2000.

THE HIGH OF 96 DEGREES ON THE 31ST WAS THE SECOND LATEST
OCCURRENCE TO REACH A HIGH OF 95 DEGREES OR BETTER TYPING WITH MAY
31ST 1995. THE RECORD IS JUNE 1ST 1998.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 90 DEGREE DAYS FOR 2010 IS ONLY 7 WHICH TIES
1971 FOR THE SECOND LOWEST SUCH TOTAL ON RECORD FOR THE YEAR TO
DATE. THE RECORD LOWEST TOTAL FOR THE YEAR TO DATE IS 5 IN 1995 AND
1998.

THIS WAS THE FIRST MAY SINCE 2007 TO NOT REACH THE TRIPLE DIGITS.
BEFORE THAT THE LAST MAY WITHOUT ANY TRIPLE DIGITS WAS IN 1999.

THE LOW OF 49 DEGREES ON THE 11TH WAS THE LOWEST MAY TEMPERATURE
RECORDED IN LAS VEGAS SINCE A LOW OF 47 DEGREES ON MAY 1ST 1999.

THIS WAS ONLY THE THIRD MAY IN THE LAST THIRTY YEARS TO NOT HAVE A
LOW TEMPERATURE OF 70 DEGREES OR BETTER (OTHERS WERE 1995 AND 1998).

PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WERE VERY LIGHT ACROSS ALL OF THE VALLEY. MOST
OF THE MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION THAT DID FALL THIS MONTH OCCURRED
WITH A FEW SHOWERS THAT MOVED ACROSS THE VALLEY ON THE AFTERNOON OF
THE 23RD. THESE SHOWERS PRODUCED MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION FROM
CENTENNIAL HILLS EASTWARD TOWARDS THE ALIANTE AND ELDORADO
NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALSO IN SUMMERLIN AND IN A FEW NEIGHBORHOODS JUST
EAST OF SUMMERLIN. NO RAIN FELL AT ALL IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE
SOUTH SIDE OF THE VALLEY. AT MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THERE
WAS A TRACE OF RAIN FOR THE MONTH WHICH IS 0.24 OF AN INCH BELOW
NORMAL. TRACES WERE RECORDED ON TWO DATES - THE 11TH AND 23RD. AT
THE NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT RAIN ONLY FELL ON ONE DAY AND IT WAS
MEASURABLE.

UPPER LAS VEGAS WASH - CCRFCD 0.08 INCH
NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT 0.04 INCH
ANN ROAD AND CAMINO AL NORTE - CCRFCD 0.04 INCH
SUMMERLIN - COCORAHS 0.03 INCH
CIMARRON AND MOUNTAIN SPRINGS - COCORAHS 0.01 INCH
CRAIG AND DECATUR - MESONET 0.01 INCH
TENAYA AND WASHINGTON - COCORAHS 0.01 INCH
TROPICANA AND BUFFALO - COCORAHS 0.01 INCH
WEST ALIANTE 0.01 INCH
ANTHEM - COCORAHS TRACE
EASTERN AND DESERT INN - COCORAHS TRACE
FLAMINGO AND BOULDER HIGHWAY - COCORAHS TRACE
NWS LAS VEGAS OFFICE TRACE

THE AVERAGE WIND SPEED FOR THE MONTH WAS 11.5 MPH AT MCCARRAN. THIS
WAS 0.3 MPH ABOVE NORMAL. THIS MADE MAY 2010 THE WINDIEST MAY SINCE
2000 WHEN THE AVERAGE SPEED WAS 12.3 MPH. GUSTS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER
WERE RECORDED ON 8 DAYS IN MAY 2010 WITH A PEAK GUST OF 55 MPH FROM
THE SOUTH-SOUTHWEST ON THE 10TH.

THERE WERE TWO NOTEWORTHY WIND EVENTS IN THE VALLEY DURING THE
MONTH. THE FIRST ON MAY 10TH AND 11TH PRODUCED GUSTS AS HIGH AS 61
MPH AT NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE AND THE HENDERSON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT.
THIS EVENT RESULTED DAMAGE TO A LARGE PERMANENT TENT AT THE
HENDERSON PAVILION AND ALSO DOWNED SOME TREE LIMBS IN THE GREEN
VALLEY AREA. ON THE 22ND ANOTHER WIND EVENT PRODUCED GUSTS AS HIGH
AS 59 MPH IN THE MOUNTAINS EDGE COMMUNITY AND DOWNED SEVERAL
MESQUITE TREES THERE.

*****SPRING 2010 STATISTICS****

FOR METEOROLOGICAL SPRING 2010 (THE MONTHS OF MARCH THROUGH MAY) THE
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AT MCCARRAN WAS 64.7 DEGREES WHICH IS 1.9
DEGREES BELOW NORMAL AND TIES AS THE 33RD COOLEST SPRING ON RECORD.
THIS WAS THE COOLEST SPRING IN LAS VEGAS SINCE 1998 WHEN THE AVERAGE
WAS 62.5 DEGREES.

THE AVERAGE WIND SPEED FOR THIS SPRING WAS 10.7 MPH AT MCCARRAN
WHICH MADE THIS SPRING THE WINDIEST SINCE 1998 WHEN THE AVERAGE WAS
10.9 MPH. BASED ON THE THIRTY YEAR NORMALS FROM 1971-2000 THIS
SPRING WAS EXACTLY NORMAL WITH RESPECT TO AVERAGE WIND SPEED.

...ELSEWHERE IN THE MOJAVE DESERT AND SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN...

MAY 2010 WILL RANK AS ONE OF THE COLDEST MONTHS ACROSS THE AREA.
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WERE ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 7 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL
IN THE MOJAVE DESERT AND SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN WITH THE GREATEST
DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURES AND DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL FOR A FEW
LOCATIONS...

LOCATION MAY 2010 DEPARTURE COLDEST MAY
AVG. TEMP FROM NORMAL RANK
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BARSTOW-DAGGETT AIRPORT 69.2 -3.6 8TH COLDEST
BISHOP 56.0 -6.5 4TH COLDEST
DEATH VALLEY 82.2 -2.6 16TH COLDEST
DESERT ROCK 63.8 -4.8 3RD COLDEST
KINGMAN 63.2 N/A
MT CHARLESTON 45.9 -4.4 6TH COLDEST
NEEDLES 77.2 -3.2 12TH COLDEST

CALCULATED BASED ON TIME SHIFTING HIGHS TO CALENDAR DAY.

THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED ACROSS THE AREA WAS 109 DEGREES AT
FURNACE CREEK IN DEATH VALLEY ON THE 31ST. ELSEWHERE THE HOTTEST
TEMPERATURES INCLUDED 102 DEGREES AT BULLHEAD CITY AZ AND LAUGHLIN
NV ON THE 31ST. DEATH VALLEY SAW ONLY 8 TRIPLE DIGIT HIGH
TEMPERATURES IN MAY...THE LOWEST SUCH TOTAL SINCE 1998.

THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED ACROSS THE AREA AT AN OFFICIAL
CLIMATE STATION WAS 16 DEGREES AT SPRING VALLEY STATE PARK NV ON THE
3RD. ELSEWHERE THE LOWEST TEMPERATURES OF THE MONTH INCLUDED 18
DEGREES AT ASPENDELL CA ON THE 23RD...23 DEGREES AT MOUNT CHARLESTON
NV ON THE 24TH AND 25 DEGREES AT DIAMOND M RANCH AZ ON THE 1ST.

A FEW OTHER STATISTICS ABOUT TEMPERATURES THIS MONTH...

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DAYS WITH A HIGH OF 90 DEGREES OR BETTER AT
THE BARSTOW-DAGGETT AIRPORT WAS 6 TYING FOR THE THIRD LOWEST SUCH
TOTAL ON RECORD IN MAY SINCE 1943.

THE THIRD LATEST FIRST OCCURRENCE OF A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 100
DEGREES OR BETTER AT THE NEEDLES AIRPORT SINCE 1948.

* THE FIRST MAY AT BISHOP TO NOT SEE A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 90
DEGREES OR BETTER SINCE 1998.

PRECIPITATION WAS ALSO BELOW NORMAL ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA WITH MANY
LOCATIONS SEEING NOTHING FALL AT ALL FOR THE MONTH MAINLY IN CENTRAL
AND SOUTHERN MOHAVE COUNTY ARIZONA...CENTRAL NYE...SOUTHERN CLARK
AND WESTERN ESMERALDA COUNTIES IN NEVADA AND PARTS OF SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY AND THE OWENS VALLEY OF INYO COUNTY IN CALIFORNIA. AT THE
BARSTOW-DAGGETT AIRPORT NO PRECIPITATION FELL AT ALL MAKING IT ONE
OF ONLY 12 MAYS DATING BACK TO 1943 TO BE PRECIPITATION-FREE. THE
WETTEST LOCATIONS WERE IN THE EASTERN SIERRA NEVADA AND THE SPRING
MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN NEVADA WHERE OVER A QUARTER OF AN INCH OF
LIQUID PRECIPITATION FELL. THE WETTEST LOCATION IN THE AREA WAS AT
ASPENDELL CA WHERE 0.70 OF AN INCH OF PRECIPITATION FELL IN MAY
2010. OTHERWISE ACROSS THE AREA A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH FELL
FROM SOUTHEAST INYO COUNTY ACROSS SOUTHERN NYE AND INTO PARTS OF
CENTRAL CLARK COUNTY AND NORTHERN MOHAVE COUNTY. LINCOLN COUNTY
GENERALLY SAW BETWEEN A FEW HUNDREDTHS TO AS MUCH AS AROUND A
QUARTER OF AN INCH OF PRECIPITATION FALL.

SNOWFALL WAS GENERALLY LIMITED TO THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS ACROSS THE
AREA. ASPENDELL IN THE EASTERN SIERRA OF CALIFORNIA AT 8500 FEET SAW
6.9 INCHES OF SNOW FOR THE MONTH WITH A PEAK SNOW DEPTH OF 4 INCHES
ON THE 23RD. MOUNT CHARLESTON AT AN ELEVATION OF 7450 FEET SAW 4.0
INCHES OF SNOW FALL FOR THE MONTH WITH A PEAK SNOW DEPTH OF 4 INCHES
ON THE 24TH. ELSEWHERE PIPE SPRINGS NATIONAL MONUMENT MEASURED 0.1
INCH OF SNOW FOR THE MONTH AND TRACE AMOUNTS OF SNOW WERE REPORTED
AT COLORADO CITY AZ...MITCHELL CAVERNS AND MOUNTAIN PASS CA AND
PIOCHE AND RACHEL NV FOR MAY 2010. AN ESTIMATED 1 INCH OF SNOW FELL
IN GOLDFIELD NV ON MAY 23RD. BY THE END OF THE MONTH THE HIGHEST
MOUNTAIN PEAKS ABOVE 10000 FEET STILL WERE COVERED IN SNOW.


Info courtesy NWS office Las Vegas

The temperature on Memorial Day Monday 5/31/2010 reached 100.4°F at 2:05pm. This was the latest date that the century mark was broken since record keeping began here in East Las Vegas in June of 1999!

A COLD UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVING ACROSS SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND
SOUTHERN NEVADA TODAY (SUNDAY 5/23/2010) HELPED SEVERAL AREAS TO SET NEW RECORD LOW
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES...ALSO CALLED THE COLDEST HIGH TEMPERATURE EVER
RECORDED ON THIS DATE.

IN LAS VEGAS THE HIGH TEMPERATURE ONLY REACHED 63 DEGREES TODAY AT
MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...THE OFFICIAL CLIMATE STATION FOR
LAS VEGAS. THIS BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD LOW MAXIMUM OF 67 DEGREES
SET BACK IN 2008. LIKE THIS YEAR...THAT RECORD LOW MAXIMUM WAS SET
WHEN A COLD UPPER LOW MOVED ACROSS THE AREA. RECORDS FOR LAS VEGAS
DATE BACK TO 1937.

AT BISHOP CALIFORNIA THE HIGH TODAY WAS ONLY 61 DEGREES AND THIS
BROKE THE OLD RECORD LOW MAXIMUM OF 62 SET IN 1980. RECORDS FOR
BISHOP DATE BACK TO 1943.

FINALLY AT NEEDLES CALIFORNIA THE HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS A COOL 71
DEGREES. THIS BROKE THE OLD RECORD LOW MAXIMUM OF 73 DEGREES SET IN
1957. RECORDS FOR NEEDLES DATE BACK TO 1948.

Above info Courtesy NWS Office Las Vegas

ALTHOUGH GUSTY WINDS CAN OCCUR IN ANY TIME OF THE YEAR SPRING IS
CLIMATOLOGICALLY THE WINDIEST TIME OF YEAR IN THE MOJAVE DESERT
INCLUDING LAS VEGAS. DURING THE SPRING MONTHS UPPER-LEVEL TROUGHS
FREQUENTLY PASS THROUGH THE AREA EVERY SO MANY DAYS BUT UNLIKE THE
WINTER MONTHS OFTEN LACK SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE. THE DRIER STATE THAT
THE ATMOSPHERE IS IN TYPICALLY HELPS TO ALLOW STRONGER WINDS ALOFT
TO MIX DOWN TO THE SURFACE MORE EASILY WHEN UPPER TROUGHS MOVE
THROUGH. THESE WINDS AT THE TIME OF AN UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH PASSAGE
CAN BE ESPECIALLY STRONG WHEN A POWERFUL BELT OF WINDS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE JET STREAM MOVES OVERHEAD AND/OR SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENTS
ARE TIGHTLY PACKED.

THIS SPRING...PERHAPS MORE THAN IN THE PAST FEW YEARS...LAS VEGANS
HAVE FREQUENTLY BEEN COMMENTING ON THE WINDS. SO HAS THIS SPRING
REALLY BEEN THAT WINDY? THE ANSWER IS YES...AND NO...WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THE CLIMATOLOGY OF WINDS IN LAS VEGAS.

METEOROLOGICAL SPRING IS CONSIDERED THE MONTHS OF MARCH...APRIL AND
MAY. FOR THESE THREE MONTHS COMBINED THE NORMAL AVERAGE WIND SPEED
BASED ON THE PERIOD FROM 1971-2000 IS 10.7 MPH. AVERAGE WIND IS THE
AVERAGE OF ALL THE SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS RECORDED ON A GIVEN DAY.
BREAKING IT DOWN BY EACH MONTH THE NORMAL AVERAGE WIND SPEED IS AS
FOLLOWS...

MARCH 10.1 MPH
APRIL 11.0 MPH
MAY 11.2 MPH

SO FAR THIS SPRING THE AVERAGE WIND SPEEDS HAVE BEEN...

MARCH 9.6 MPH
APRIL 10.9 MPH
MAY 12.6 MPH
SPRING 11.0 MPH

THROUGH 5/10.

COMPARING THESE NUMBERS TO THE THIRTY YEAR AVERAGE SHOWS BOTH MARCH
AND APRIL WERE LESS WINDY THAN NORMAL.

HOWEVER LOOKING BACK THROUGH THE RECORD BOOKS ONE FINDS SEVERAL
INTERESTING STATISTICS...

GOING BACK TO THE 1970S...THE AVERAGE WIND SPEED FOR THIS DECADE FOR
MARCH...APRIL AND MAY WAS 10.8 MPH. 1978 WAS THE LEAST WINDIEST
SPRING THAT DECADE AT 9.8 MPH WHILE 1977 WAS THE WINDIEST AT 12.0
MPH.

THE 1980S HAD AN AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 12.9 MPH FOR SPRING. THE
LEAST WINDY SPRING THAT DECADE WAS 1987 WITH AN AVERAGE OF 10.0 MPH.
1989 WAS THE WINDIEST AT 12.7 MPH.

IN THE 1990S THE AVERAGE WIND SPEED WAS 10.6 MPH FOR SPRING. 1992
WAS THE LEAST WINDY SPRING THAT DECADE WITH AN AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF
8.7 MPH WHILE 1991 WAS THE WINDIEST WITH AN AVERAGE OF 11.7 MPH.

FOR THE PERIOD OF 2000-2009 THE AVERAGE WIND SPEED FOR MARCH...APRIL
AND MAY WAS 8.8 MPH. 2009 WAS THE LEAST WINDY WITH AVERAGE OF 8.1
MPH WHILE 2000 WAS THE WINDIEST WITH AN AVERAGE OF 10.5 MPH. IT IS
ALSO WORTH MENTIONING THAT SINCE 2002 EACH SPRING IN LAS VEGAS HAS
HAD AN AVERAGE WIND SPEED NO HIGHER THAN 8.8 MPH. THUS LAST SPRING
WAS THE LEAST WINDIEST SPRING IN LAS VEGAS IN AT LEAST THE LAST 30
YEARS AND THIS SPRING HAS BEEN THE WINDIEST SPRING IN LAS VEGAS IN
THE LAST TEN YEARS. THUS WHILE SPRING 2010 HAS BEEN WINDY IN LAS
VEGAS...THE LESS WINDIER SPRINGS IN RECENT YEARS HAVE MADE THE
SPRING OF 2010 SEEM MUCH WINDIER...EVEN THOUGH IT IS ONLY 0.3 MPH
HIGHER THAN NORMAL BASED ON AVERAGES FROM MARCH 1ST THROUGH MAY 10TH.

Info Courtesy NWS Las Vegas

Las Vegas recorded a high temperature of 60 degrees. This was the coldest high temperature ever in May.

Courtesy NWS Las Vegas

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
1124 AM PDT THU APR 29 2010


THE STRONG WINDS THAT BLEW ACROSS THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY WEDNESDAY
EVENING...APRIL 28...PRODUCED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 63 MPH FROM THE
SOUTHWEST AT 614 PM PDT AT MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...THE
OFFICIAL CLIMATE STATION FOR LAS VEGAS. THIS TIED FOR THE SECOND
HIGHEST WIND GUST EVER IN THE MONTH OF APRIL IN LAS VEGAS BASED ON
RECORDS DATING BACK TO 1950. A 63 MPH GUST FROM THE WEST-SOUTHWEST
WAS ALSO RECORDED BACK ON APRIL 19 1962.

THE HIGHEST WIND GUST EVER IN LAS VEGAS IN THE MONTH OF APRIL AT THE
OFFICIAL CLIMATE STATION AT MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS A
GUST OF 69 MPH FROM THE WEST ON APRIL 30 1988 RECORDED SHORTLY AFTER
6 PM THAT EVENING. THE APRIL 30 1988 WIND EVENT KNOCKED OUT POWER TO
15000 CUSTOMERS...TOOK DOWN DOZENS OF TREES AND CINDERBLOCK WALLS
AROUND THE YARDS OF HOMES AND RESULTED IN THE POWER LOSS TO TRAFFIC
LIGHTS ON THE LAS VEGAS STRIP FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS.

THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS PRELIMINARY AND IS SUBJECT TO A FINAL
REVIEW BEFORE BEING CERTIFIED BY THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER

Info courtesy of the NWS office Las Vegas

Our recent wind event has resulted in a new peak wind gust for 2010 at the Neon Desert Weather Station. Shortly after 2am this morning the anemometer reached 42mph. Overall, it has been extremely windy the past 24 hours with sustained winds generally in the 25mph range with frequent gusts into the mid and upper 30's.

The strong winds are expected to last through Thursday night.

Update: As of 5:10pm PDT a new peak wind gust of 44mph from the SSW has been reached.
As stated above, these strong winds are expected to continue with the strongest winds ending between 9pm and midnight tonight. Areas of blowing dust with areas of greatly reduced visibility will occur, especially in open desert areas. As a cold front, currently positioned just to the NW of Clark county, moves through this evening winds will shift to the NW and usher in much cooler air.