Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Las Vegas, NV

000 
WWUS85 KVEF 112234
RFWVEF

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
334 PM PDT WED APR 11 2007

AZZ101-102-CAZ226-228-229-NVZ463>466-120300-
/O.CON.KVEF.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-070412T0300Z/
LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-AZ SIDE-
NORTHWEST DESERTS/NORTHWEST PLATEAU-
OWENS VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST-MOJAVE DESERT-
LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-SHEEP RANGE-SPRING MOUNTAINS-
CLARK AND SW LINCOLN COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH-
LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-NV SIDE-
334 PM PDT WED APR 11 2007 /334 PM MST WED APR 11 2007/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PDT /8 PM MST/
THIS EVENING...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PDT /8 PM MST/
THIS EVENING. 

A PACIFIC STORM IS CURRENTLY MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
A STRONG JET STREAM ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE STORM HAS BROUGHT
SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS TO THE MOJAVE DESERT. WEST TO SOUTHWEST
WINDS WERE IN THE 20 TO 35 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS IN THE 40 TO 50
MPH COMMON. THE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO ABATE ALONG WITH THE RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES RECOVERING TO ABOVE CRITICAL VALUES BY 8 PM THIS EVENING.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR ARE IMMINENT. A COMBINATION OF STRONG
WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE
EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

$$

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
352 AM PDT WED APR 11 2007

.SYNOPSIS...AN APPROACHING PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE
SOUTHERN SIERRA TODAY AND THEN ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN AND
MOJAVE DESERT TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING GUSTY
WINDS TODAY AND THURSDAY WITH MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES BY THURSDAY.
SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL ALSO BE SEEN OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS
TODAY AND THEN SPREAD ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA ON THURSDAY. DRY AND
WARMER CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED ON FRIDAY.
&&

.SHORT TERM...INITIAL SHORTWAVE ASSOCIATED WITH APPROACHING UPPER
TROUGH WILL MOVE THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TODAY BRINGING A SLIGHT
CHANCE OF SHOWERS TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN ACROSS THE FAR NORTHERN
PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE MAIN IMPACT WILL BE INCREASING
WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS. JET STREAM WILL SAG SOUTH ACROSS THE MOJAVE
DESERT TODAY AND COMBINE WITH A STRONG SURFACE GRADIENT TO PRODUCE
WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA WIND SPEEDS ACROSS MUCH OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND MOHAVE COUNTIES ALONG WITH SOUTHERN CLARK COUNTY. LATEST MODEL
TRENDS HAVE INDICATED WINDS STAYING BELOW HIGH WIND CRITERIA IN SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY WHERE A HIGH WIND WATCH WAS POSTED. SAME GOES FOR
BISHOP WHERE INDICATIONS ARE THE DOWNSLOPE WINDS WILL PROBABLY NOT
REALLY GET INTO THE VALLEY ALL THAT STRONG BUT DID GO WITH A WIND
ADVISORY FOR THE OWENS VALLEY. UPGRADED THE HIGH WIND WATCH TO A
WARNING IN THE EASTERN SIERRA SLOPES ZONE AS SURFACE GRADIENT IS
QUITE STRONG AND TIME HEIGHT SECTIONS SHOW POTENTIAL FOR SOME
PRETTY STRONG GUSTS GETTING DOWN CLOSE TO 5000 FEET. GRADIENT RELAXES
SOMEWHAT AFTER THE SHORTWAVE PASSES THIS EVENING AND THERE IS A BIT
OF A BREAK IN MOISTURE AND LIFT ACROSS THE NORTH SO ONLY SEE SMALL
CHANCES OF SHOWERS THERE TONIGHT. MUCH BETTER PRECIPITATION CHANCES
ARE FORECAST THURSDAY AS THE MAIN UPPER LOW DIVES SOUTH ACROSS
SOUTHERN NEVADA. WHILE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL LIKELY BE LACKING
THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF MID LEVEL MOISTURE COMBINED WITH UPWARD
FORCING AND INSTABILITY FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER
MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL SIGNIFICANTLY WITH
THE LOW OVERHEAD AND INCREASED CLOUD COVER. BRISK NORTHERLY WINDS
WILL MOVE IN BEHIND THE SYSTEM LATE THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT AS
THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES INTO THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. DRY AND
WARMER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AS AN UPPER RIDGE MOVES
OVER THE AREA.

.LONG TERM...MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE TRACK OF
THE WEEKEND STORM BUT STILL DIFFER SLIGHTLY IN TIMING. THE GFS IS
THE FASTEST BRINGING THE TROUGH AXIS TO THE SIERRA A FULL 6 HRS
BEFORE THE ECMWF/UKMET AND CANADIAN. THOSE MODELS HAVE THE AXIS OFF
THE WEST COAST 00Z SATURDAY AND THEN BRING IT INLAND OVERNIGHT.
REGARDLESS...SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE AND BECOME
BREEZY TO LOCALLY WINDY SATURDAY. EARLIER IF THE GFS IS CORRECT AND
LATER IF THE OTHER MODELS VERIFY. SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...THE
STORM MOVES INTO THE AREA AND IS PROGGED TO BE NEAR THE
NEVADA/UTAH/ARIZONA BORDER BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SHOWER ACTIVITY
LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE CONFINED GENERALLY TO THE NORTHERN ZONES
SATURDAY NIGHT BEFORE SPREADING SOUTH OVER MUCH OF THE CENTRAL AND
EASTERN CWA SUNDAY. BECAUSE OF THE TRAJECTORY...THE WESTERN AND
SOUTHWESTERN CWA WILL HAVE THE LOWEST CHANCE FOR ANY PRECIP. THE
MODELS QUICKLY CLEAR THINGS OUT BY MONDAY AFTERNOON WITH DRY NORTH
TO NORTHEASTERLY FLOW ALOFT OVER THE REGION. THE TRAIN OF SPRING
SYSTEMS MAY NOT BE FINISHED WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM PROGGED OFF THE
PACIFIC NW COAST TUESDAY. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE WARM UNDER
BREEZY CONDITIONS SATURDAY BEFORE COOLING BELOW NORMAL SUNDAY WITH
THE LOW OVER THE AREA. A RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL MONDAY LOOKS GOOD AND
THEN BACK ABOVE NORMAL TUESDAY.
&&

.AVIATION...FOR KLAS: SCATTERED HIGH CLOUDINESS AND NORTHEAST WINDS
UP TO 10 KNOTS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING. WINDS WILL BECOME
SOUTHWEST IN THE AFTERNOON AND INCREASE TO 20 TO 25 KNOTS WITH GUSTS
TO 35 KNOTS.

REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA...NORTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA: WINDS WILL BE GENERALLY LIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING EXCEPT
IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY WHERE WESTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE BETWEEN
10 TO 20 KTS. WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE IN MOST
LOCATIONS BY MID DAY BECOMING STRONG AND GUSTY...ESPECIALLY OVER THE
DESERTS OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY AND IN SOUTHERN NEVADA AND MOHAVE
COUNTY. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY WHERE
SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS BETWEEN 25 AND 40 KNOTS ARE LIKELY THIS
AFTERNOON. FREQUENT GUSTS BETWEEN 45 AND 50 KTS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH
LOCAL GUSTS UP TO 60 KTS POSSIBLE. THIS WILL CREATE BLOWING SAND AND
BLOWING DUST PROBLEMS IN THE DESERT AREAS. STRONG WINDS ALOFT WILL
CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY AND
TURBULENCE OVER THE OWENS VALLEY IN THE LEE OF THE SIERRA WITH A
DOWNSLOPE WIND POTENTIAL ALONG THE EAST SLOPES. GUSTS TO 50 KTS ARE
POSSIBLE AT RIDGETOP WITH HIGHER GUSTS POSSIBLE ALONG THE EASTERN
SLOPES.
&&

.FIRE WEATHER...FREQUENT AND WIDESPREAD WIND GUSTS OVER 35 MPH WILL
DEVELOP BY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SIERRA INTO
THE OWENS VALLEY AND ACROSS THE MOJAVE DESERT. SURFACE DEWPOINTS HAVE
REMAINED QUITE LOW TONIGHT AND DO NOT EXPECT THEM TO INCREASE ENOUGH
TO PREVENT AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES FROM DROPPING BELOW 15
PERCENT. IN FACT...RH WAS BELOW 15 PERCENT IN MANY LOCATIONS AT 3 AM.
UPGRADED FIRE WEATHER WATCH TO A RED FLAG WARNING FOR THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. ADDED THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SIERRA AND OWENS VALLEY TO
THE WARNING.

&&

.VEF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NV...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM PDT THIS
     EVENING FOR NVZ463>466.
     LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM PDT THIS
     EVENING FOR NVZ021.
     WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING
     FOR NVZ022.

AZ...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST THIS
     EVENING FOR AZZ101-102.
     LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST THIS
     EVENING FOR AZZ002-036.
     WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST THIS EVENING
     FOR AZZ001-003.

CA...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM PDT THIS
     EVENING FOR CAZ226-228-229.
     HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM PDT THIS
     EVENING FOR CAZ519.
     LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM PDT THIS
     EVENING FOR CAZ527.
     WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING
     FOR CAZ520-523>526.

&&

HARRISON/SALMEN

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
625 AM PDT TUE APR 10 2007

AZZ001>003-036-CAZ519>527-NVZ014>022-110500-
NORTHWEST PLATEAU-LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-NORTHWEST DESERTS-
LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA-EASTERN SIERRA SLOPES-
OWENS VALLEY-WHITE MOUNTAINS OF INYO COUNTY-
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK-WESTERN MOJAVE DESERT-
EASTERN MOJAVE DESERT-MORONGO BASIN-CADIZ BASIN-
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY-UPPER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-
ESMERALDA AND CENTRAL NYE COUNTY-LINCOLN COUNTY-
NORTHEAST CLARK COUNTY-WESTERN CLARK AND SOUTHERN NYE COUNTY-
SHEEP RANGE-SPRING MOUNTAINS-LAS VEGAS VALLEY-
SOUTHERN CLARK COUNTY-
625 AM PDT TUE APR 10 2007 /625 AM MST TUE APR 10 2007/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST
ARIZONA...CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN NEVADA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A DOWNSLOPE WIND EVENT TO BEGIN LATE THIS
EVENING ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SIERRA. OTHERWISE THE THREAT
FOR HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW TODAY AND TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

A STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
WEDNESDAY BRINGING STRONG WINDS TO THE MOJAVE DESERT AND THE EAST
SLOPES OF THE SIERRA. WIND GUSTS COULD APPROACH OR EVEN EXCEED 60
MPH ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SIERRA AND ACROSS THE SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY DESERTS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SO A
HIGH WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT.

MUCH OF THE REMAINDER OF THE MOJAVE DESERT WILL SEE WINDY
CONDITIONS AND A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SOUTHERN CLARK
COUNTY IN NEVADA AND THE NORTHWEST DESERTS AND PLATEAU OF ARIZONA.
SOUTHWEST WINDS SUSTAINED AT 25 TO 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH.

SOUTHWEST WINDS AT 20 TO 3O MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH EXPECTED ON
LAKES MEAD...MOHAVE AND HAVASU HAS PROMPTED A LAKE WIND ADVISORY
FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER
THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN WEDNESDAY AND
SPREAD SOUTH ACROSS THE MOJAVE DESERT THURSDAY. MUCH COOLER
TEMPERATURES CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM SYSTEM. HIGH
TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY WILL PROBABLY BE ABOUT 15 DEGREES COOLER
THAN TODAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED.