There was a brief push of downslope winds off the Spring Mountains ahead of a cold front.
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The episode as NWS VEF wrote it up.
There was a brief push of downslope winds off the Spring Mountains ahead of a cold front.
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 Jan 1, 7:45 PM PST, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 745 PM PST Wed Jan 1 2020 .SYNOPSIS...Above average temperatures expected to finish off the first week of the year and carry on through the weekend. Ridging will set up just off the coast of California, which will allow a couple bursts of energy to slide into our region through the forecast period. These could result in occasional high clouds and breezy northerly winds, but the forecast overall remains clear with light winds. && .UPDATE...Dynamic, quick hitting shortwave presently moving through southwest Utah/northwest Arizona. Earlier, brief period of light rain/sprinkles crossed the Las Vegas Valley. Now, rain/snow showers and even a few lightning strikes noted under the circulation in Washington County, Utah and north Rim of the Grand Canyon. Again, this should quickly race south by later this evening leaving the area under a northerly flow aloft. Gusty northerly surface winds have already developed in northern Inyo and Esmeralda Counties, as well as the Nevada National Security Site. Those winds will expand south through the night encompassing all the southern Great Basin and Mojave Desert Thursday. Updated to expand POPs/QPF across eastern Lincoln and northern Mohave County the rest of this evening. Adjusted wind speeds/gusts up slightly. && .DISCUSSION...Today through next Wednesday. High clouds will continue to move out of our area through sunset as a shortwave continues to push east. As a ridge of high pressure builds off the coast of California, a pattern sets up over the Desert Southwest conducive for shortwaves to slide down and impact our area. As a result, above-average temperatures will be expected under the ridge to carry out the first week of the year and into the weekend. The first of these aforementioned energy bursts will be accompanied by a cold frontal passage this evening. The stronger temperature gradients will remain northeast of us, but breezy northwesterly winds will set up across Inyo County as well as southern Nevada overnight and into Thursday morning. Wind gusts will generally be between 15 and 25 mph. Considered a Lake Wind Advisory, but winds are expected remain below criteria, so no headlines issued. The coastal high pressure system will continue to move eastward into the weekend before a trough sets up over the Pacific Northwest and pushes it south of our area. This allows a zonal pattern to briefly set up over the region and carry a burst of shortwave energy over southern Nevada. Northerly winds will pick up area-wide on Sunday before dying down after sunset with speeds 15-20 mph possible and faster speeds over the higher terrain. Ridging begins to set back up going into the start of the work week, which will briefly bring high temperatures back into the 60s for the Las Vegas Valley. Tuesday onward, the forecast begins to diverge with models indicating a Pacific trough will drop down and impact our region. Timing, strength and position of this trough remain unresolved at this time, so low confidence in precipitation, temperature, and wind speed expectations. && .AVIATION...For McCarran...Light and variable winds and high clouds with bases above 15 Kft for much of the period. There is still the potential of a northwest push occurring in the valley after midnight, but confidence is lower that it will make it to McCarran and may only push as far south as VGT. However, there is a better chance of seeing the northwest winds late Thursday afternoon with speeds 8-12 kts. The only hazards through the period are low-level wind shear and turbulence concerns associated with the northwest push, especially if it does not occur overnight. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...North winds are expected to increase this evening near BIH and then over the remainder of the TAF sites overnight and Thursday morning. Winds 10-15 kts are expected over most areas, but are expected to be stronger down the Colorado River with speeds generally between 12-22 kts. Cloud bases generally above 15 Kft, with low-level wind shear and turbulence associated with the northerly push as the only hazards expected. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && UPDATE...Pierce DISCUSSION...Varian AVIATION...Gorelow For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
This gust occurred 1 mile ESE of Red Rock Canyon.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, January 2020
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: 872077.