A Pacific storm system brought locally high winds to the 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.
A Pacific storm system brought locally high winds to the 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 5, 7:57 PM PST, 4 hours 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV 757 PM PST SAT MAR 5 2016 .SYNOPSIS...A POTENT PACIFIC STORM APPROACHING THE WEST COAST WILL BRING WIDESPREAD RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY ALONG WITH WINDY CONDITIONS...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AND MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES. A SECOND STORM IS FORECAST TO DROP DOWN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT WHICH WILL BRING ANOTHER CHANCE OF SHOWERS TO THE REGION. DRY WEATHER SHOULD RETURN FOR THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING BACK TO NEAR NORMAL. && .UPDATE...VERY LIGHT RETURNS ON RADAR THIS EVENING...MAINLY OVER MOHAVE...INYO...AND SOUTHERN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES. THIS IS LIKELY FALLING AS VIRGA OR PERHAPS A FEW LIGHT SPRINKLES AS THE LOWER LEVELS CONTINUE TO MOISTEN UP. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES CONTINUE TO CLIMB ACROSS THE REGION...WITH BOTH BLYTHE AND BULLHEAD CITY CURRENTLY SITTING JUST BELOW 1 INCH. EXPECT MORE WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION TO BREAK OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS ACROSS AREAS NORTH OF I-15. CONSENSUS INDICATES A BAND OF PRECIPITATION FORMING AFTER MIDNIGHT OVER INYO AND SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES...THEN SPREADING EAST...TO I-15 BY 12Z. THIS BAND SHOULD MOVE ACROSS MOHAVE COUNTY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE MORNING. ADDITIONAL BANDS OF SHOWERS ARE LIKELY...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN THROUGHOUT THE DAY. POPS WERE TWEAKED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE LATEST TRENDS AND SHORT TERM GUIDANCE THIS EVENING. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND ADJUST AS NEEDED. && .AVIATION...FOR MCCARRAN...VCSH THROUGH THIS EVENING. STRONG SSW WINDS TO CONTINUE THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING IN ADVANCE OF THE MAIN SYSTEM APPROACHING THE AREA. CIGS WILL SLOWLY LOWER TO 5-10 KFT BY LATE TONIGHT. GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE 10Z-16Z TIMEFRAME WITH SHOWERS MORE SCATTERED IN NATURE 16Z SUNDAY TO 00Z MONDAY. CIGS LOCALLY LOWER IN VICINITY OF SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED LIGHTNING STRIKES POSSIBLE. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME STRONGER (SPEEDS 15-25 KTS WITH GUSTS 30+ KTS) BY LATE SUNDAY MORNING WITH A TRANSITION TO A MORE WESTERLY DIRECTION BY MID-AFTERNOON AND NORTHWESTERLY BY EVENING. CIGS SHOULD GENERALLY IMPROVE BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON EXCEPT IN VICINITY OF SHOWERS. MECHANICAL TURBULENCE AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS ARE LIKELY AT TIMES THROUGH THE PERIOD. ANOTHER SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE AREA ON MONDAY. FOR THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA...NORTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA...STRONG SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE REGION TONIGHT AND TOMORROW WITH CIGS EXPECTED TO LOWER TO 5-10 KFT (LOCALLY LOWER IN PROXIMITY TO SHOWERS). INTENSE SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED IN THE SIERRA TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING WITH MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS LIKELY. GOOD CHANCES OF PRECIP THROUGHOUT THE REGION TONIGHT THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS IN EASTERN SAN BERNARDINO, LINCOLN, CLARK, AND MOHAVE COUNTIES TOMORROW AFTERNOON. ISOLATED LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE POSSIBLE GENERALLY NORTH OF I-40 ON SUNDAY. STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED IN ADVANCE OF A FRONT MOVING NW TO SE THROUGH THE REGION TOMORROW. WIND DIRECTIONS SHOULD TRANSITION TO W/NW AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE WITH SPEEDS GENERALLY DECREASING. MECHANICAL TURBULENCE IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD, ESPECIALLY DOWNSTREAM OF HIGH TERRAIN. MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY IS POSSIBLE TO THE EAST OF THE SIERRA SLOPES. ANOTHER SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE AREA ON MONDAY. && .PREV DISCUSSION... 327 PM PST SAT MAR 5 2016 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. THE LONG EXPECTED PACIFIC STORM COULD BE SEEN TAKING SHAPE OFF THE WEST COAST WITH A COLD DIGGING TROUGH PRECEDED BY A DEEP PLUME OF MOISTURE MOVING INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS AFTERNOON. THIS MOISTURE WILL SPREAD QUICKLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN NEVADA TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING. THE TROUGH AXIS AND ASSOCIATED COLD POOL WILL THEN MOVE OVER INYO COUNTY AND SOUTHERN NEVADA LATE SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON PROVIDING INSTABILITY AND DYNAMIC FORCING FOR A SHOWERS AND PROBABLY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. THE MAIN IMPACTS OF THIS SYSTEM WILL BE HEAVY SNOW IN THE SOUTHERN SIERRA AND WIDESPREAD LIGHT TO MODERATE PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ACROSS THE REST OF THE REGION. IN ADDITION...STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. PRECIPITATION...IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT FAIRLY EXTENSIVE LIGHT SHOWERS WERE SPREADING ACROSS SOUTHEAST INYO AND EASTERN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A PRELIMINARY WAVE AHEAD OF THE MAIN SYSTEM WHICH WILL QUICKLY MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN NEVADA AND NORTHWEST ARIZONA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING PRODUCING A FEW SPRINKLES OR POSSIBLY MEASURABLE RAINFALL FOR SOME SPOTS. THE MAIN PRECIPITATION BAND WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHERN SIERRA THIS EVENING AND SHOULD RESULT IN ABOUT A 9-12 HOUR PERIOD OF SNOW FOR THE HIGHER PEAKS AND WILL LIKELY HANG UP EAST OF THE CREST OF A WHILE. RAIN WILL LIKELY SPILL INTO THE OWENS VALLEY AFTER MIDNIGHT THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. THE TAIL END OF THIS PRECIPITATION SWATH WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN NEVADA AND NORTHWEST ARIZONA LARGELY BETWEEN 09Z AND 18Z SUNDAY. HOWEVER... THE COLD POOL MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN NEVADA THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON WILL LIKELY GENERATE ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS EVEN THOUGH THE DEEPER MOISTURE WILL HAVE MOVED TO THE EAST. THE MAIN THREATS WITH ANY STORMS WILL BE SMALL HAIL...OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...AND GUSTY WINDS. THE LATEST LIQUID PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES ARE AS FOLLOWS: * 1.00-3.00 INCHES - SIERRA * 0.50-1.00 INCHES - WHITE MOUNTAINS * 0.20-0.60 INCHES - LINCOLN/ESMERALDA/NORTHERN MOHAVE/OWENS VALLEY * TRACE-0.2 INCHES - ELSEWHERE WIND...SOUTH-SOUTHWEST WILL BE STRONGEST THIS EVENING UP THROUGH WESTERN SAN BERNARDINO...INYO COUNTY MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEVADA ZONES FROM THE SPRING MOUNTAINS NORTHWARD. LOCAL HIGH RES MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGH DOWNSLOPE WINDS TO DEVELOP ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. THE MOST FAVORABLE TIME WILL BE A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE ONSET OF SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION SPILLING OVER THE CREST WHICH APPEARS TO BE TONIGHT BETWEEN 10 PM AND 2 AM PST. COULD SEE ADDITIONAL HIGH WINDS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE PRECIPITATION AND AHEAD OF THE TROUGH AXIS THROUGH MID SUNDAY MORNING. THE REST OF THE MOJAVE DESERT REGION WILL SEE STRONG SOUTHWEST-WEST WINDS FROM MID SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WITH GUSTS OF 40-50 MPH. SNOW...THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL BE CONFINED TO THE SOUTHERN SIERRA WHERE GENERAL AMOUNTS OF 4-10 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED BETWEEN 7000 AND 9000 FEET. SNOW TOTALS NEAR THE CREST MAY APPROACH 2 FEET. THE REST OF THE MOUNTAINS ABOVE 6000 FEET WITHIN THE FORECAST SHOULD GENERALLY SEE LESS THAN 3 INCHES OF SNOW. .LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SECOND STORM FOR MONDAY/MONDAY NIGHT KEEPS LOOKING LESS IMPRESSIVE WITH EACH PASSING MODEL RUN. A FEW DAYS AGO THE STORM WAS DIGGING SOUTH THROUGH CALIFORNIA AND TURNING EAST NEAR THE MEXICAN BORDER...RESULTING IN EASTERLY UPSLOPE FLOW FOR THE CLARK AND INYO COUNTY MOUNTAINS WITH PLENTY OF MOISTURE AVAILABLE. NOW...THE STORM DIGS ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST /TOO FAR WEST TO IMPACT THE NEVADA OR ARIZONA ZONES/ AND DIVES ALMOST DOWN TO THE BAJA SPUR BEFORE TURNING EAST /TOO FAR SOUTH TO IMPACT OUR AREA AT ALL/. REDUCED POPS...AND IF MODEL TRENDS CONTINUE...FUTURE SHIFTS MAY HAVE TO REDUCE FURTHER. THE STORM PULLS AWAY TUESDAY WITH DIRTY RIDGING/NORTHWEST FLOW SPREADING OVERHEAD. THIS SHOULD SPELL MOSTLY DRY WEATHER WITH A WARMING TREND. THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES THE WEST COAST THURSDAY...BUT THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF MODEL SPREAD WITH ITS STRENGTH AND SPEED. PLENTY OF TIME TO WATCH HOW IT EVOLVES. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TODAY. ACTIVE WEATHER IS EXPECTED SUNDAY AND MONDAY AND SPOTTERS WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. && UPDATE/AVIATION...WOLCOTT SHORT TERM........ADAIR LONG TERM.........MORGAN FOR MORE FORECAST INFORMATION...SEE US ON OUR WEBPAGE: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS OR FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The peak gust was measured at Desert Rock (KDRA).
The peak gust was measured at North Las Vegas Airport (KVGT). Around the Las Vegas Valley, a tree blew down and landed on a vehicle; a rooftop air conditioner blew into power lines, breaking the power pole; a light post blew down; and a few large tree branches snapped.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, March 2016
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: 619528, 619529.