Yet another Pacific storm system brought locally high winds to the western Mojave Desert.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS VEF wrote it up.
Yet another Pacific storm system brought locally high winds to the western Mojave Desert.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Las Vegas, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 30, 8:36 AM PST, 4 hours 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
936 AM PDT SUN MAR 30 2008
.SYNOPSIS...A PACIFIC STORM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT
BASIN AND MOJAVE DESERT TODAY...PRODUCING WINDY CONDITIONS ACROSS
EASTERN CALIFORNIA AND NORTHWEST ARIZONA. THE BEST CHANCE OF SHOWERS
WILL BE ACROSS NYE AND LINCOLN COUNTIES WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE AS FAR
SOUTH AS CLARK COUNTY. IMPROVED CONDITIONS WILL BE SEEN MONDAY AND
TUESDAY BEFORE THE NEXT SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY.
&&
.UPDATE...MULTIPLE CHALLENGES TODAY. FOR CLOUDS...UPDATED TO GREATLY
REDUCE CLOUDS THIS MORNING OVER SOUTHERN ZONES WHERE SATELLITE SHOWS
LARGE CLEAR SLOT. THIS AREA SHOULD FILL IN SOMEWHAT LATER IN THE DAY
AS THE COLD POOL ALOFT MOVES OVERHEAD. FOR PRECIP...RAISED POPS IN
THE NORTHERN ZONES /ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN/ WHERE LIFT
IN THE LEFT EXIT REGION OF THE JET STREAK IS ALREADY APPARENT AND
THE AFOREMENTIONED COLD POOL WILL ONLY ENHANCE THE ATMOSPHERIC
RESPONSE LATER IN THE DAY. FOR WINDS...MADE NO CHANGES AT THIS TIME.
WILL REEVALUATE FREQUENTLY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY.
&&
.AVIATION...FOR MCCARRAN...WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO PICK UP THROUGH
THE DAY OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST AS A STORM SYSTEM WORKS ACROSS THE
REGION. EXPECT PREVAILING SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 KTS WITH GUSTS
UP TO 40 KTS POSSIBLE WITH A SCT MID LEVEL CLOUD DECK AROUND 14-16K
FEET AND A BKN DECK OF HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS AROUND 25K FEET. SHOWER
ACTIVITY WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN NORTH OF
THE LAS VEGAS AREA BUT COULD IMPACT THE BEATTY AND MORMON MESA
CORRIDORS. MODERATE MECHANICAL TURBULENCE CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG ALL
APPROACH CORRIDORS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.
FOR THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA...NORTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA...STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS SAN
BERNARDINO...CLARK...AND MOHAVE COUNTIES THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AS A
STORM PASSES THROUGH THE AREA. GUSTS APPROACHING 50 KTS ARE POSSIBLE
IN FAVORED AREAS AS WELL AS AREAS OF BLDU. SHOWER ACTIVITY SHOULD
REMAIN MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF INYO...ESMERALDA...
LINCOLN...CLARK AND CENTRAL/SOUTHERN NYE COUNTIES.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION...
334 AM PDT SUN MAR 30 2008
.SHORT TERM...SATELLITE SHOWS NEXT AREA OF ENHANCED CLOUDS
DEVELOPING IN THE LEE OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA OVER INYO COUNTY AND
CENTRAL NEVADA AHEAD OF SHORTWAVE TROUGH APPROACHING THE CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA COAST. MODELS CONSISTENT SWINGING SHORTWAVE TROUGH ACROSS
THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN AND MOJAVE DESERT TODAY. SO FAR...ONLY A
TRACE OF PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN REPORTED ACROSS CENTRAL NYE COUNTY
WHILE PIOCHE IN NORTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY REPORTED 0.01 OF AN INCH
BETWEEN 1 AND 2 AM. AGAIN...NAM/GFS SIMILAR DEVELOPING A BAND OF
HIGHER QPF AMOUNTS EXTENDING FROM CENTRAL NYE COUNTY ACROSS NORTHERN
LINCOLN COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON WITH MUCH LIGHTER AMOUNTS JUST
SKIRTING THE NORTHERN PORTION OF CLARK COUNTY. THE SNOW LEVEL WILL
REMAIN ABOVE 6500 FEET TODAY WITH ANY ACCUMULATIONS LIKELY OCCURRING
ABOVE 7000 FEET. IMPACTS ON LINCOLN COUNTY WILL BE NEGLIGIBLE WITH
SNOW LEVELS THAT HIGH. DID INCLUDE THE MENTION OF A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS FOR LINCOLN AND NORTHERN MOHAVE COUNTIES THIS
AFTERNOON IN AREA OF STEEPEST MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES. WIND IS THE
NEXT CONCERN. STRONGEST BELT OF 700 MB WINDS PROGGED TO RUN
OVER NORTHERN SAN BERNARDINO AND CENTRAL AND NORTHERN MOHAVE
COUNTIES WHILE TIGHTEST SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT LIES ACROSS
WESTERN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY. THE STRONG WIND WILL LAST LONGER IN
SE CALIFORNIA SO HAVE WIND ADVISORY RUNNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT...WHILE
IN MOHAVE COUNTY THE ADVISORY ENDS AT 8 PM MST THIS EVENING. SHOWERS
WILL TAPER OFF OVERNIGHT AS TROUGH SHIFTS EAST ACROSS UTAH AND
ARIZONA. FORECAST AREA WILL LIE UNDER WEAK RIDGE MONDAY AND TUESDAY
WITH NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHING THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST TUESDAY
NIGHT. THERE ARE TIMING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GFS/ECMWF WITH THIS
SYSTEM BUT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE IT WILL MATTER AS MODELS BRING A
WEAKENING TROUGH INLAND WEDNESDAY. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE WITHIN A
FEW DEGREES OF CLIMATOLOGICAL NORMALS TODAY...MONDAY AND TUESDAY.
.LONG TERM...ALTHOUGH CONFIDENCE REMAINS DECENT THAT A SYSTEM WILL
AFFECT THE AREA WEDNESDAY...MODELS CONTINUE TO DIFFER IN THEIR
SOLUTIONS. THE GFS REMAINS CONSISTENT IN TRACKING THE SYSTEM ACROSS
THE CWA WHILE THE ECMWF NOW TAKES THE TROUGH ALONG THE MEXICAN
BORDER. DECIDED TO STAY WITH THE GFS IDEA DUE TO BETTER RUN-TO-RUN
CONSISTENCY AND SUPPORT FROM THE GEM AND GFS ENSEMBLE MEAN. THIS
NECESSITATED AN INCREASE IN POPS OVER THE NORTHERN REGIONS OF THE
AREA AND A LOWERING OF TEMPS PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE. THE ECMWF
BRINGS A SHARP TROUGH FROM THE NORTHERN GREAT BASIN INTO UTAH
THURSDAY DRAWING A SURFACE COLD FRONT THROUGH THE REGION. THE GFS
AGAIN HAS BEEN MORE CONSISTENT IN KEEPING THE ENERGY WELL NORTH WITH
NO EVIDENCE OF A FRONTAL PASSAGE. RIDGING IS FORECAST FOR FRIDAY
WITH LIGHT WIND AND WARMER TEMPERATURES. THE GFS BRINGS ANOTHER
SYSTEM NEAR THE SOUTHERN CAL COAST SATURDAY WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY
INCREASE WIND AND CLOUD COVER. HOWEVER...THE EURO HAS THE SYSTEM 700
MILES FURTHER WEST AND RIDGING OVER THE AREA AT THAT SAME TIME
PERIOD.
.AVIATION...FOR MCCARRAN...SOUTHWEST WINDS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
THROUGH THE REST OF THE NIGHT WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 20KTS. A STORM
WILL PASS ACROSS THE AREA TODAY BRINGING AN INCREASE IN WIND TO
KLAS. PREVAILING SOUTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 30 KTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 40
KTS POSSIBLE. SHOWER ACTIVITY WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO REMAIN NORTH OF THE LAS VEGAS AREA BUT COULD IMPACT THE
BEATTY AND MORMON MESA CORRIDORS. MODERATE MECHANICAL TURBULENCE CAN
BE EXPECTED ALONG ALL APPROACH CORRIDORS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.
FOR THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA...NORTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA...STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS SAN
BERNARDINO...CLARK...AND MOHAVE COUNTIES THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AS A
STORM PASSES THROUGH THE AREA. GUSTS APPROACHING 50 KTS ARE POSSIBLE
IN FAVORED AREAS. SHOWER ACTIVITY SHOULD REMAIN OVER THE NORTHERN
REGIONS.
&&
.VEF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NV...NONE.
AZ...WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST THIS EVENING
FOR AZZ001-003.
CA...WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO MIDNIGHT PDT TONIGHT
FOR CAZ523-524.
&&
MORGAN/STACHELSKI/PIERCE/SALMEN
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGASPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
1020 AM PDT SUN MAR 30 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0830 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 39 N DAGGETT 35.42N 116.76W
03/30/2008 M49.00 MPH SAN BERNARDINO CA MESONET
MEASURED AT CLR17 NELSON LAKE MESONET SITE. ELEVATION
3108 FEET.
0920 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 29 WNW BAKER 35.43N 116.55W
03/30/2008 M44.00 MPH SAN BERNARDINO CA MESONET
MEASURED AT GRANITE PASS MESONET SITE. ELEVATION 3905
FEET.
0930 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 17 W BAKER 35.26N 116.37W
03/30/2008 M50.00 MPH SAN BERNARDINO CA MESONET
MEASURED AT RED-PASS-LAKE. ELEVATION 2241 FEET.
1000 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 18 WNW BAKER 35.38N 116.36W
03/30/2008 M54.00 MPH SAN BERNARDINO CA MESONET
AT CLR15 MESONET SITE. ELEVATION 2564 FEET.
1000 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 25 NNE DAGGETT 35.20N 116.76W
03/30/2008 M49.00 MPH SAN BERNARDINO CA MESONET
MEASURED AT CLR19 TA-BRAVO MESONET SITE. ELEVATION 3380
FEET.
&&
STACHELSKIPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
127 PM PDT SUN MAR 30 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1232 PM NON-TSTM WND GST BARSTOW 34.88N 117.07W
03/30/2008 M48.00 MPH SAN BERNARDINO CA ASOS
MEASURED AT KDAG.
&&
STACHELSKIThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
This gust occurred 25 miles NNE of Daggett.
This gust occurred 17 miles W of Baker.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in California, March 2008
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 78926, 78927.