A strong cold front brought strong to locally high northerly winds to the Mojave Desert.
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The episode as NWS VEF wrote it up.
A strong cold front brought strong to locally high northerly 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 Dec 31, 1:31 PM PST, 5 hours 18 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 131 PM PST Fri Dec 31 2021 .SYNOPSIS...A cold front will push through the region tonight, resulting in gusty northwest winds tonight and cold temperatures lasting through the weekend. && .DISCUSSION...Today through next Friday. The humbling parade of weather systems pushing through the Desert Southwest this week comes to an end with tonight's final trough and frontal passage. Through the day today, isolated light showers remain possible across eastern Lincoln County and northern Mohave County, with precipitation falling in the form of snow above 5000 feet. As such, leaving the Winter Weather Advisory in place for those locations through 4pm PST / 5pm MST this afternoon. High resolution models are indicating the chance of radar returns over the Las Vegas Valley this evening as well, but pattern recognition + meager moisture amounts over the past week have led me to believe that shower development will be unlikely. Anything that does come to fruition will either be in the form of virga (evaporating before it reaches the ground) or brief sprinkles. Regardless, no accumulating precipitation is expected in the valleys this afternoon and evening. The weather capable of the most impact will occur tonight as a cold frontal passage occurs, bringing with it gusty northwest winds and cooler temperatures. These gusty northwest winds will quickly ramp up a few hours before midnight, with gusty winds persisting through much of the overnight period. Wind chills will approach freezing overnight tonight in valley locations such as Las Vegas, Kingman, and Barstow-Daggett, with sub-freezing wind chills expected in population hubs such as Mesquite, Pahrump, and Bishop. Those expecting to spend time outdoors tonight for New Year's Eve celebrations are encouraged to bundle up and wear wind-resistant clothing. Gusty winds will focus along the Colorado River Valley Saturday afternoon, primarily impacting Lake Mohave and Lake Havasu. Winds look to be borderline from both a spatial and a temporal standpoint regarding a Lake Wind Advisory, with the highest chances of enhanced wave heights between 10am and 1pm PST around Katherine Landing. As such, holding off on issuing any headlines, but will message the potential for wave heights between 1 and 2 feet. The coldest day of the year will arrive Sunday morning (that is, the coldest day of either 2021 or 2022). Locations in the lower Colorado River Valley can expect their first freeze of the season, resulting in a Freeze Warning that will go into effect at 12am PST / 1am MST and last through sunrise Sunday morning. Key locations within these zones include Lake Havasu City, AZ and Needles, CA. Additionally, southern Mohave County will approach Hard Freeze criteria. As such, upgraded the Hard Freeze Watch in southern Mohave County to a Warning from 9pm MST to sunrise Sunday morning. Key locations within this zone include Kingman, Golden Valley, and the Hualapai Valley in Arizona. Due to a ridge setting up over the Desert Southwest, temperatures will slowly rebound back to values above seasonal normals by the end of next week. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...Winds will become westerly this afternoon before turning northwest by mid evening as a shortwave passes across the Great Basin. Speeds will increase to 15-20kts with higher gusts by late evening and continue for most of the overnight before slowly decreasing. Northerly winds will persist on Saturday. CIGS will hover around 5kft this afternoon and into the evening as the above mentioned shortwave passes. A few showers will be possible over the Spring and Sheeps, but no precip is expected at the terminal. Skies will begin to improve after 07Z and good conditions are forecast for Saturday. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...South to west winds at all terminals, except KBIH, will turn northerly and become gusty this evening and overnight. Winds at KBIH will turn northerly and become gusty this afternoon. CIGS will remain around 5kft through the evening at the Vegas Valley sites, while other terminals will see skies improve. A few showers will be possible over the ridges in Southern Nevada this evening as a short wave passes but no precip is forecast at any of the terminals. All sites should see mostly clear skies by Saturday afternoon along with gradually decreasing winds, except at KIFP and KEED where winds will remain gusty through Saturday afternoon. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && DISCUSSION...Varian AVIATION...Planz 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 was measured at Harry Reid International Airport (KLAS).
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, December 2021
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: 996353.