A Pacific low pressure system and associated cold front brought high winds to portions of the Mojave Desert.
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The episode as NWS VEF wrote it up.
A Pacific low pressure system and associated cold front brought high winds to portions of 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 15, 2:21 AM PST, 7 hours 39 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 321 AM PDT Mon Mar 15 2021 .SYNOPSIS...Another system will move through the area today, bringing strong winds, another chance for precipitation, and cooler temperatures. Warmer and drier conditions will begin Tuesday and continue through the week as high pressure builds over the region. && .SHORT TERM...Today through Tuesday. The low currently organizing off the California Coast is expected to zip through the region today and tonight, bringing increased winds and the potential for showers today. First focusing on the precipitation: expecting things to should hold off until late morning as the system organizes itself offshore and it takes a minute for any moisture to spill over the Sierra Crest and for better forcing to punch into the area. After 18Z, expecting scattered showers to spread east through the day. Best chances should be through the higher terrain where enhanced upslope will allow for more persistent showers. Snow levels will start high around 6000ft, but will crash to around 3000ft after sunset as the center of the low moves overhead. Compared to the previous system, this low is not as cold at its center and the colder temperatures aloft arrive later in the day. This may limit the convective nature of the showers, left thunder out of the forecast for now. If isolated thunder were to develop, Nye, Lincoln, Mohave, and eastern Clark would be the favorable area. Two potential areas of concern for snow impacts stand out with this system. The first is the Spring Mountains and the Sheep Range. a better surge of forcing pivots into the area this afternoon and evening, this combined with the enhanced upslope potential means there is the potential for some quick bursts of snow late this afternoon through this evening. Ensembles show decent probabilities of over 1inch per hour of snow accumulations for these areas, and hi- res models all develop a "blob" of better precipitation south of the Spring Mountains and bring it over the Springs and Sheep this afternoon. Given the potential for a couple of inches to fall in only a few hours, decided to issue a Winter Weather Advisory for the Spring Mountains and Sheep Range. Will they hit "classic" winter weather advisory snowfall totals? Maybe, maybe not...however there is growing confidence for quick hitting impacts and will use the winter weather advisory to highlight this potential. The other area of concern for snow impacts is Lincoln County and eastern Mohave County. Hi-res models all develop a band of precipitation in response to strong PV advection around the base of the wrapped up upper level low. High confidence this band will develop, likely after 00Z, but not as confident in where it will develop and if snow levels will drop fast enough that snow will reach lower elevations/impact roadways. Will hold off on any additional winter headlines, but will watch trends as I am concerned for potential issues in the Hualapai Nation, on I-40 around Fort Rock, AZ, as well as the stretch of US-93 between Hiko and Caliente NV. Looking at the wind forecast: not much change from the previous forecast. Solid wind advisory for much of the region, with the best potential for higher winds and impacts through San Bernardino County where the High Wind Warning is in place. Some concern that southern Mohave County will see a bit stronger winds this evening as the low level jet rounds the base of the low. Models keep hinting that this area may see some 60MPH+ gusts around 00Z, however its hit and miss between models and ensembles are not as excited about this probability. If stronger winds did occur through southern Mohave County, it would be a quick hour or two around 00Z-03Z and it should be isolated. The low is quick to exit by Tuesday morning. Only lingering chance for showers should be confined to northwest Arizona and far eastern Lincoln County, and impacts would be limited. Temperatures today and Tuesday will be cooler than Sunday, running about 5-10 degrees below normal. .LONG TERM...Wednesday through Sunday. Quiet weather is expected for much of the rest of the week as high pressure sets up over the area. This will allow for much warmer temperatures to take over with readings by the end of the week likely to several degrees above normal. There seems to be good agreement in the ensemble clusters that another trough will approach the coast over the weekend bringing increasing winds, cooler temperatures, and precipitation chances for portions of the area. && .AVIATION...For McCarran...Another Pacific storm system is forecast to move inland over the western United States today. The KLAS Terminal will begin to see effects from this storm late morning (15z) as winds begin to increase from the Southwest. These winds will pick up in the afternoon around 21z with sustained winds 24kts and gusts to 35kt. Rain showers will also begin to move/form in the terminal area and all approach/departure corridors as well. Ceilings are likely to fall below 5kt which may affect air traffic. If any heavier showers move across the terminal ceilings could intermittently drop to 2.5k ft. This lower ceiling scenario is less certain at this point. However, if it materialized it won't persist longer than an hour. Conditions will not begin to improve until about 4 UTC as the system exits to the east. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California....Another Pacific storm system is forecast to move inland over the western United States today. Strong gusty winds can be expected to begin across the inland deserts late morning and persist through tonight before the storm system exits the area to the east. Intermittent rain/snow showers are also possible as well dropping ceilings to MVFR at times for terminals in the area. Most persistent shower activity (and thus lower ceilings) will be located in southern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. Stay tuned to TAFs and METARs for latest updates as this system develops. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && DISCUSSION...Nickerson AVIATION...Lericos 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.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The peak gust was measured 40 miles E of Beatty.
The peak gust was measured at the Mercury-Desert Rock (KDRA) ASOS.
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, March 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: 946875, 946876.