Unseasonably moist air and weak instability fueled isolated thunderstorms around the Mojave Desert. One storm produced flooding.
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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.
Unseasonably moist air and weak instability fueled isolated thunderstorms around the Mojave Desert. One storm produced flooding.
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 May 17, 12:12 PM PST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 112 PM PDT Wed May 17 2023 .SYNOPSIS...Daily chances of showers and thunderstorms are expected through the remainder of the week, mainly in the higher terrain of southern Nevada and northwest Arizona. Rainfall amounts will generally be light, but stronger storm cells may be accompanied by gusty winds and lightning. Temperatures will remain several degrees above normal. && .SHORT TERM...through Thursday night. Early afternoon satellite and radar imagery showing isolated to scattered thunderstorms once again over portions of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona, and far eastern San Bernardino County. Most of the activity has remained in the higher terrain and a few locations in the Spring Mountains and portions of the NNSS have recorded between 0.25"-0.35" of rainfall. With plenty of mid level moisture combined with marginal instability we will continue to see shower and thunderstorm chances continue through the afternoon. DCAPEs are currently around 800-1200 J/kg so the threat of strong outflow winds will exist along with the potential of brief heavy rain and small hail. Anonymously high PWs will continue Thursday, but the latest model data suggests that the higher PWs will be shunted a bit further south and east which will keep the better shower and thunderstorms coverages across Clark, Lincoln, and Mohave County. Although isolated storms can't be ruled out over the higher terrain of Inyo, Nye, and eastern San Bernardino Counties. Strong gusty winds, brief heavy rain, and small hail will be possible near any storm. No real change in temperatures as readings will remain several degrees above normal. .LONG TERM...Friday through Tuesday. The blocky pattern with a weak upper low nearly stationary to our south stuck under full-latitude ridging well up into western Canada remains in place at least through Saturday. This will mean little day to day change in the weather through then, with temperatures remaining above normal and slight thunderstorm chances each day, primarily over the mountains. By Sunday, there is reasonable model agreement on the idea of low pressure moving from the Gulf of Alaska toward the Pacific Northwest, which should start to break down the block. As is expected several days out, there are differences in the details such as depth and timing of the incoming low. One important similarity is that most models seem to have backed away from the idea of a drying trend early next week, and now show residual moisture lingering and being lifted by the incoming trough rather than being swept out to the northeast. This could keep the unusual late May thunderstorm chances going, which is supported by CPC 6-10 and 8-14 day outlooks both favoring above normal precip for our CWA. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...Thunderstorms are expected this afternoon around the Las Vegas Valley. The primary concern with these storms is strong outflow winds that can lead to rapid changes in wind direction, erratic gusts, and reduced visibility. Peak gusts may reach 40 knots. Cloud bases should be between 10 and 12 kft. Convection should decrease in the evening with winds shifting to the southwest, becoming variable overnight. Another round of thunderstorms is possible on Thursday afternoon with the greatest possibility of storms in the higher elevations around the valley. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...Thunderstorms are anticipated this afternoon around the Las Vegas Valley and along the Colorado River. The main concern with these storms is strong outflow winds that may cause rapid changes in wind direction, erratic gusts, and reduced visibility. Convection should end by the evening. Winds decrease the rest of the afternoon with speeds less 10 knots forecast for most locations. Winds increase out of the south to southwest again tomorrow afternoon. Additional thunderstorms cannot be ruled out tomorrow afternoon along higher terrain in Clark County. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && SHORT TERM...Gorelow LONG TERM...Morgan AVIATION...Meltzer 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 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Minor flooding left sand and debris on the Essex Road off ramp from Interstate 40.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in California, May 2023
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: 1099757.