869
FXUS65 KVEF 020943
AFDVEF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
143 AM PST FRI JAN 2 2026
KEY MESSAGES
* FOG WILL REMAIN IN SOME AREAS OF THE MOJAVE DESERT THROUGH THE
MORNING LEADING TO REDUCED VISIBILITY.
* EPISODES OF LIGHT RAIN AND HIGH ELEVATION SNOW TO CONTINUE THROUGH
THE WEEKEND.
* UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE WESTERN U.S. THROUGH THE
WEEK WITH PERIODS OF BREEZY CONDITIONS AND ADDITIONAL ROUNDS OF
LIGHT RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW.
DISCUSSION
THROUGH NEXT FRIDAY.
CONDITIONS EARLY THIS MORNING ARE CHARACTERIZED BY LIGHT WINDS, HIGH
HUMIDITY FROM RECENT RAINFALL, AND COOL TEMPERATURES. DEW POINT
DEPRESSIONS ARE GENERALLY BETWEEN ZERO AND THREE DEGREES FOR MOST
VALLEY LOCATIONS. THIS ENVIRONMENT IS CONDUCIVE FOR FOG DEVELOPMENT
AND IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR FOG THROUGH SUNRISE.
AUTOMATED SENSORS AT LAS VEGAS, BARSTOW/DAGGETT, AND LAKE HAVASU
CITY HAVE ALREADY REPORTED VISIBILITY OF LESS THAN 1/2 MILE TONIGHT,
AND DANGEROUSLY LOW VISIBILITY HAS BEEN OBSERVED ON HIGHWAY CAMERAS
AROUND THE AREA. USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING DURING THE EARLY MORNING
COMMUTE.
TODAY'S FORECAST CALLS FOR DRY AND PLEASANT CONDITIONS THANKS TO A
SHORTWAVE RIDGE OVER THE REGION. HOWEVER, THIS CALM WILL BE SHORT
LIVED AS LOW PRESSURE DROPS SOUTH ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST, SENDING
MOIST SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW INTO THE SOUTHWEST U.S. PWATS REACH THE 150
TO 200 PERCENT OF NORMAL RANGE OVER THE WEEKEND AS THE PLUME OF
MOISTURE MOVES THROUGH. PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ARE MODEST, WITH
PROBABILITIES OF REACHING .1 INCH IN 24 HOURS BETWEEN 10 AND 30
PERCENT IN MOST DESERT VALLEYS. HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED IN OWENS
VALLEY, THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN, AND ALONG AREA MOUNTAINS. SNOW
LEVELS FALL FROM 7500-8500 FEET ON SATURDAY TO 6500-7500 FEET ON
SUNDAY AS HEIGHTS ALOFT DECREASE THROUGH THE DAY. GIVEN THE LIGHT
PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS OVERALL, SNOW TOTALS ARE UNIMPRESSIVE AND
WINTER RELATED IMPACTS ARE NOT EXPECTED. THE FIRST ROUND SHOULD
OCCUR ON SATURDAY, FOLLOWED BY A LULL ON SATURDAY NIGHT, THEN
ANOTHER ROUND ON SUNDAY.
ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCES MOVE ALONG THE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW PATTERN AS
THE LOW TRACKS EAST, BRINGING ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION.
MOISTURE BECOMES MORE LIMITED AS THIS HAPPENS AND DAILY
PRECIPITATION TOTALS SHOULD BE LIGHT. DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE
WEEK, A TROUGH WILL DIG SOUTH INTO THE WESTERN UNITED STATES,
BRINGING COLD AIR POTENTIAL FOR WINDY CONDITIONS AND WINTRY
PRECIPITATION. DETAILS REGARDING INTENSITY ARE SOMEWHAT UNCLEAR AT
THIS TIME AS THERE REMAINS A GOOD AMOUNT OF VARIABILITY BETWEEN
MODELS.
AVIATION...FOR HARRY REID...FOR THE 06Z FORECAST PACKAGE
LOW
CLOUDS EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF THIS EVENING WITH CIGS
AROUND 1K FEET. VISIBILITIES AROUND 5-6SM ARE ALSO EXPECTED WITH BR,
WHICH SHOULD ALSO PERSIST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE EVENING AND
EARLY MORNING HOURS, BUT WITH THE ABUNDANT MOISTURE STILL AVAILABLE,
PATCHY FOG MAY DEVELOP WHICH COULD REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN
3SM; HOWEVER, CONFIDENCE IN THAT OCCURRING IS LOW. CIGS SHOULD
IMPROVE TO GREATER THAN 5KFT AGL BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL
REMAIN LIGHT AND DIURNAL INTO FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
FOR THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA, NORTHWESTERN ARIZONA AND
SOUTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA...FOR THE 06Z FORECAST PACKAGE...LOW CIGS
ARE EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD WITH SOME AREAS SEEING
CLOUDS DOWN TO 005-1K FEET. AREAS OF BR AND FG COULD ALSO REDUCE
VISIBILITIES DOWN TO AROUND 3-5SM FOR MUCH OF THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD;
HOWEVER, A FEW AREAS COULD SEE VISIBILITIES DROP TO LESS THAN 3SM AT
TIMES. LOW CLOUDS WILL PERSIST FRIDAY MORNING, BUT SOME IMPROVEMENT
IS EXPECTED BY AFTERNOON. LIGHT WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH FRIDAY.
SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT
SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT
ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OR IMPACTS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURES.
DISCUSSION...MELTZER
AVIATION...GORELOW
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