062
FXUS65 KVEF 181107
AFDVEF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
306 AM PST WED FEB 18 2026
KEY MESSAGES
* COLD WEATHER SYSTEM BRINGING WIDESPREAD RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW
WILL MOVE THROUGH EARLY THIS MORNING WITH MOUNTAIN TRAVEL
IMPACTS LIKELY.
* A THIRD AND FINAL WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION ON
THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT, WITH ONE LAST ROUND OF RAIN AND
MOUNTAIN SNOW CHANCES.
* DRIER CONDITIONS RESUME OVER THE WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.
EAGERLY ANTICIPATING OUR NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM THAT WILL SWEEP
ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS SYSTEM FEATURES
AN IMPRESSIVE SATELLITE REPRESENTATION, WITH DEEP AND COLD CLOUD
TOPS EXTENDING FROM COASTAL SOCAL INTO THE NORTHERN GREAT BASIN,
ALONG WITH PERSISTENT LIGHTNING STRIKES ALONG THE SOUTHERN FLANK
OF THE PRECIPITATION SHIELD MOVING INTO THE LA METRO. THIS SYSTEM
REMAINS QUITE COLD, AND OVER 6 INCHES OF SNOW HAS FALLEN IN THE
BISHOP, CA THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS, AND LIGHT SNOW CONTINUES TO
BE OBSERVED AT THIS HOUR. AS THE MAIN PRECIPITATION BAND SPREADS
EASTWARD THIS MORNING, LOW ELEVATION SNOW DOWN TO 3500-4500 FEET
CAN BE EXPECTED, WITH SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED IN
THE HIGHER PEAKS. MOUNTAIN PASSES SUCH AS MOUNTAIN SPRINGS SUMMIT
ON HIGHWAY 160 BETWEEN LAS VEGAS AND PAHRUMP, AS WELL AS MOUNTAIN
SPRINGS AND HALLORAN SPRINGS SUMMIT ON I-15 ARE LIKELY TO SEE
DETERIORATING CONDITIONS VERY SOON AND TRAVEL WILL QUICKLY BECOME
DIFFICULT. AS THE BACK EDGE OF THE PRECIPITATION SHIELD MOVES
THROUGH, SOME SNOW FLAKES MAY EVEN REACH INTO THE UPPER EDGES OF
THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY. BY DAYBREAK, THE PRECIP BAND WILL BE
SHIFTING INTO NORTHWEST ARIZONA, WITH I-40 NEAR FORT ROCK AND THE
HUALAPAI MOUNTAINS LIKELY TO SEE TRAVEL IMPACTS DUE TO SNOWFALL.
THE SYSTEM WILL QUICKLY CLEAR THE REGION BY MID-MORNING WITH DRIER
CONDITIONS RESUMING AND DECREASING WINDS. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE
ACROSS THE WESTERN MOJAVE DESERT NEAR BARSTOW AND TWENTYNINE PALMS
WHERE GUSTY CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING.
THE NEXT WEATHER MAKER IN THE STORM SERIES WILL DROP SOUTH
THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY MORNING, WITH AN OVERALL TRACK AND
CHARACTERISTICS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS MORNINGS WEATHER SYSTEM.
MOUNTAIN TRAVEL IMPACTS WILL AGAIN BE A CONCERN. THEREAFTER, HIGH
PRESSURE WILL REBUILD OVER THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK
WITH DRY WEATHER RESUMING.
AVIATION...FOR HARRY REID...FOR THE 12Z FORECAST PACKAGE
SCATTERED RAIN AND HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO
PUSH EAST THIS MORNING WITH SHOWERS COMPLETELY OUT OF THE AREA BY
15Z. CIGS DOWN TO 4-5KFT ALONG WITH 30% CHANCE OF VISIBILITY
DROPPING TO LESS THAN 5SM EXPECTED THROUGH 15Z BEFORE CONDITIONS
IMPROVE. GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON
BETWEEN 20-30 KNOTS. WINDS SHOULD FALL BELOW 10 KNOTS AFTER SUNSET
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
FOR THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA, NORTHWEST ARIZONA AND SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA...FOR THE 12Z FORECAST PACKAGE...CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE
THIS MORNING AROUND KBIH WITH INCREASING CIGS AND NORTHWEST WINDS 10-
15 KNOTS, ALTHOUGH NORTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON WITH
GUSTS TO AROUND 25 KNOTS. ELSEWHERE, A BAND OF LOW-ELEVATION RAIN
AND HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW WILL MOVE FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE
REGION. CIGS BELOW 5KFT AGL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS ACTIVITY, ALONG
WITH LOCALLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES. THE MAJORITY OF THE PRECIPITATION
SHOULD MOVE EAST OF THE AREA MID TO LATE MORNING, WITH OVERALL SKY
CONDITIONS IMPROVING. WINDS WILL REMAIN GUSTY INTO THIS AFTERNOON,
WITH GUSTS OF 25 TO 35 KNOTS POSSIBLE IN MOST AREAS, ALTHOUGH MOST
AREAS WILL SEE WINDS DECREASING BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON, WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF KDAG WHERE GUSTY WINDS WILL PERSIST INTO THIS EVENING.
SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT
SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT
ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OR IMPACTS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURES.
DISCUSSION...OUTLER
AVIATION...GORELOW
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