A strong low pressure system brought locally high winds to the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 strong low pressure system brought locally high winds to the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin.
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 20, 12:20 PM PST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 120 PM PDT Sun Mar 20 2022 .SYNOPSIS...A Pacific System will quickly move across our region today bringing brief isolated to scattered showers and widespread gusty north winds. Showers will end this evening, but strong north winds will persist along the Colorado River Valley and southern Mohave County through Monday. High pressure builds over the West Coast the rest of the week allowing the return of mild conditions and above average temperatures. && .SHORT TERM...Today through Monday. Showers and a few isolated thunderstorms have been occuring this afternoon across portions of Lincoln, Clark, and Mohave Counties as a trough axis swings through the region. Most of the shower activity is expected to end across Clark and Lincoln Counties by mid afternoon with the showers eventually dissipating across Mohave County after sunset. Strong winds have developed behind the trough with most areas across Inyo, Esmeralda, Lincoln, and central Nye Counties seeing winds gusting between 40-50 mph. These winds are expected into this evening, but will gradually dissipate across much of the region this evening. The wind advisory will expire at 8pm for most areas, but will remain in place for the river zones and southern Mohave County through Monday afternoon as gusty north winds will remain in place. Although gusty winds are still expected Monday with most areas seeing gusts to around 30 mph, wind gusts between 40- 50 mph are expected down the lower Colorado River Valley and southern Mohave County. Skies will be mostly sunny late tonight through Monday and temperatures will remain a couple of degrees below normal. .LONG TERM...Tuesday through Sunday. Gusty northerly winds will linger down the Colorado River Valley on Tuesday with the strongest gusts expected in the Laughlin/Bullhead City area. Outside of these winds, ridging will continue to build over the West Coast on Tuesday is expected to persist into the weekend. This ridging will allow for temperatures to warm up to well above normal values for this time of year. Locally, Las Vegas is looking at seeing its first day in the 80s during the latter half of the work week with a forecast high of 82 on Thursday. In addition to the potential to see their first day in the 80s, the NBM4.0 boasts a 49% chance for Las Vegas to see their first 90 degree day on Saturday. Las Vegas's daily record high temperature for Saturday is 87 degrees and was set back in 1947. The NBM4.0 deterministic forecast for Saturday is 87 degrees and NBM4.0 probabilistic data shows that there is a 75% chance that we break or tie the daily record on Saturday. As we approach the end of the forecast period on Sunday, forecast confidence decreases due to disagreements between deterministic and ensemble mean solutions regarding the approach of a potential early week system. At the bare minimum, the 500 mb Height Cluster Analyses show an approaching system eroding at the ridge early next week, resulting in more zonal flow aloft. Whereas some clusters favor a deeper trough approaching the West Coast, resulting in southwesterly flow aloft. Due to this occurring at the end of the forecast period as well as the uncertainty surrounding the depth, timing, and evolution of this potential system, it is too early to be sure what impacts, if any, we may see as early as Sunday as we head into next week. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...Gusty northwest winds will continue through the afternoon and evening. The strongest winds will likely be from 20Z-03Z, where gusts over 30KT are expected. After 03Z, north winds will drop back slightly but continued gusts 20-25KT are likely through the first part of the night. Gusts should end after 09Z, but wind speeds will remain around 10KT. This will continue through Monday morning before winds turn more northeast at 360 to 020 degrees and gusts to 20-25KT return for Monday late morning and afternoon. Isolated showers around the terminal early this afternoon will move away from the valley in the next few hours, but expect continued scattered showers and even isolated thunderstorms in corridors to the east through the early evening. BKN CIGs to around 8000ft will lift with the exiting showers, and clearing skies are expected tonight and Monday. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...Gusty north to northwest winds are expected through the evening. Gusts 25-35KT are be expected at times through around 03Z. Overnight, most locations will see a gradual decrease in winds, however the Colorado River Valley may see an uptick in winds as the strongest winds push into that region. North winds will continue across the region for Monday, though they should be less gusty than winds today in all areas outside the Colorado River Valley. For KEED and KIFP, expect northerly gusts 30-40KT Monday afternoon. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected in western Arizona through this afternoon before ending after sunset. BKN CIGS 5000- 8000ft are possible with the showers, otherwise improving CIGs and clearing skies are expected overnight and Monday. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && SHORT TERM...Gorelow LONG TERM...Stessman AVIATION...Nickerson 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, 1 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Dust storm conditions led to a 12-vehicle crash on Highway 318 at Lincoln County mile marker 35. Nine people were injured (indirect).
This gust occurred at Harry Reid International Airport (KLAS).
These winds 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 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, March 2022
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: 1012573, 1012574, 1012575.