The remnants of an atmospheric river which hit California hard brought locally heavy rain and snow to southern Nevada.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
The remnants of an atmospheric river which hit California hard brought locally heavy rain and snow to southern Nevada.
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 Feb 4, 3:05 AM PST, 6 hours 55 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 305 AM PST Sun Feb 4 2024 .SYNOPSIS...A strong Pacific storm moving inland today will initially bring heavy snow to the southern Sierra and persistent moderate to heavy rain will impact Inyo County this afternoon and tonight then precipitation will spread over southern Nevada and northwest Arizona Monday and Tuesday. Unsettled weather and chances for showers will continue Wednesday through Friday as additional disturbances drop down from the Pacific Northwest. A dry weather pattern will likely return next weekend. && .SHORT TERM...Today through Monday night. The latest observations and model guidance indicate the ingredients continue to come together for a major storm for our region as a long wave positive-tilted trough off the West Coast directs an atmospheric river into central and southern California today. The initial impacts for our forecast area will be the southern Sierra and much of the Owens Valley and Death Valley National Park today tonight as they remain in the path of the main precipitation plume. There is an initial moisture appendage extending over southeast California and southern Nevada this morning which will produce some light rain and light snow in the Spring Mountains, but the potential for heavy snow in the Spring Mountains will hold off until tonight and Monday as the atmospheric river slowly slides to the southeast and focuses over Southern California and Southern Nevada. The latest model solutions are in fairly good agreement that this deep moisture will persist over southern California and southern Nevada Monday into Tuesday and this expands the risk for flash flooding from excessive rainfall across most of San Bernardino County and southern Nye County Monday morning through Tuesday afternoon. The Flood Watch, initially issued for the Owens Valley and Death Valley, has been expanded across those zones for that time period. Also, the Flood Watch has been extended for Death Valley National Park until Tuesday afternoon. The quasi-stationary moisture plume streaming into the Spring Mountains tonight through at least Tuesday morning also increases the likelihood to about 75 percent of at least 4 feet of total snowfall for elevations around 8000 feet in Kyle and Lee Canyons and this is indicated in our snow amount gridded forecast. Snow levels will initially be around 6500-7000 feet for the Spring Mountains/Sheep Range tonight through Monday night then will lower to around 6000 feet on Tuesday. The other noteworthy impact of the incoming storm is a broad area of south-southeast winds gusting 40-50 mph encompassing much of northern San Bernardino County, Inyo, Esmeralda and Nye counties this afternoon and tonight. The Wind Advisory initially issued for the Owens Valley, has been expanded across these areas for that time period. High and low temperatures will not change much today through Monday. .LONG TERM...Tuesday Through Saturday The upper level trough will proceed inland through the middle of the week. Atmospheric moisture will continue to stream around the edge of the feature with PWAT values 200 percent of normal, or .6 to .8 inches, through Tuesday within the forecast area. The wettest day for Las Vegas may be Tuesday. Long range guidance suggests a band of precipitation will retrograde west then slowly move east across southern Nevada and northwest Arizona. There is a 40 to 60 percent chance of the Las Vegas Valley receiving half an inch of rain on Tuesday. Wide swaths of Lincoln and Mohave counties have a 60 to 80 percent chance of at least half an inch of rain as well. The position of this band and a constant 40 knot 700 mb jet will also create a favorable environment for an additional 1 to 1.5 feet of snow on the Spring Mountains and Sheep Range. The Winter Storm Severity Index indicates Major winter storm impacts through Tuesday. For these reasons, the Winter Storm Warning continues through Tuesday for those areas. High terrain in Lincoln County may also be in a favorable position for additional snowfall as well. Precipitation should taper off in the middle of the week as the trough continues to progress east and a zonal pattern sets up over the Southwest through Friday. Atmospheric River moisture will struggle to reach the forecast area and PWATs will decrease closer to seasonal averages during this time. Therefore, lighter POPs remain in the forecast through the end of the week. Details regarding precipitation later this week will become more apparent with upcoming forecasts. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...Light westerly winds will become light and variable later this morning before picking up and shifting to the southeast. 20-25 knot wind gusts will accompany this wind shift. These breezy southeasterly winds will continue into the evening hours before wind gusts drop of and winds shift to a more southerly direction. A band of light precipitation will bring vicinity showers to the valley beginning around 11 UTC. These showers will hang around the valley through mid-morning before clearing out. There is a low probability that these showers will move over the terminal directly. Should this happen, rain from these showers would be light. As the vicinity showers move through they will be accompanied by FEW to SCT lower clouds and CIGS dropping from 10 to 8 kft. CIGS will remain around 8 kft through the evening hours. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...A band of light precipitation will work its way northeasterly resulting in vicinity showers, 5 to 8 kft CIGS, and potentially light rain at KDAG, KVGT, and KHND through mid-morning. With the exception of KBIH, winds at the remaining TAF sites will remain relatively light through mid-morning, when winds will shift to the southeast and pickup. 15-25 knot wind gusts will accompany this wind shift. These breezy southeasterly winds will continue into the evening hours. Once the aforementioned band of precipitation clears out of the TAF vicinities, CIGS will improve to around 8 to 10 kft where they will remain through the evening hours. For KBIH, breezy southeasterly winds and vicinity showers will become gusty southeasterly winds and rain beginning around 15Z. These 20-40 knot southeasterly wind gusts will continue into the evening hours. Shortly after light rain begins at KBIH, precipitation intensity will increase, visibility will drop to 4SM and CIGS will drop 1.5 to 2 kft. These conditions will persist into the evening hours. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && SHORT TERM...Adair LONG TERM...Meltzer AVIATION...Stessman 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 heavy snow, 1 avalanche, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Rainbow Canyon SNOTEL estimated 31 inches of new snow. Highway 156 was closed at Highway 95 early in the morning of the 6th.
An avalanche occurred above the ski resort in Lee Canyon. One person suffered a broken arm, and power was knocked out to 462 customers.
The Red Rock Scenic Loop was closed due to flooding at Oak Creek.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, February 2024
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: 1162694, 1162695, 1162696.