Strong low pressure approaching from the west brought gusty southwesterly winds to the Mojave Desert. Isolated high winds occurred.
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The episode as NWS VEF wrote it up.
Strong low pressure approaching from the west brought gusty southwesterly winds to the Mojave Desert. Isolated high winds occurred.
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 Apr 26, 2:55 PM PST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 355 PM PDT Sat Apr 26 2025 .SYNOPSIS... An approaching system will result in showers and mountain snow this afternoon through Sunday, especially across Inyo and San Bernardino Counties and the southern Great Basin. Accumulating snow is most likely across the Eastern Sierra, with lighter snow expected across the mountains of the Southern Great Basin. This system will also maintain gusty southwesterly winds through this evening, and result in below normal temperatures through Sunday. A warming and drying trend begins Monday, with above normal temperatures returning midweek ahead of another potential system next weekend. && .SHORT TERM...through Sunday night. Clouds are currently overspreading the region from the west, ahead of a cutoff low currently anchored over Central California. As this low slowly translates eastward, southwesterly flow aloft will be maintained through tonight, yielding continued breezy to windy conditions, especially across western areas. A Wind Advisory remains in effect through late evening for Death Valley, the western Mojave Desert, and Morongo Basin, where wind gusts are expected to reach around 40 mph. Of additional concern is the Lower Colorado River Valley from Lake Mohave to Lake Mead, where southerly winds channeled through the valley are expected to reach 20-25 mph with gusts to 35 mph, yielding 1 to 3 foot wave heights. Thus, boaters and recreationalists will need to exercise caution, and a Lake Wind Advisory remains in effect through this evening. As the aforementioned low approaches, increased midlevel moisture and ascent will result in an uptick in precipitation chances, especially this afternoon through tonight from the Eastern Sierra across the southern Great Basin, with additional showers possible further south across San Bernardino County and the higher elevations of the Spring Mountains. Given steepening lapse rates, and in spite of paltry instability (CAPE on the order of around 50-100 J/kg), a few thunderstorms are also possible, especially across northern Inyo County eastward across Esmeralda, Nye, and Lincoln Counties. While overall QPF remains low, under a tenth of an inch, across lower elevations, local enhancements to precipitation rate will be possible with convective elements. In the mountains, the snow level this afternoon begins around 6000-6500ft, and will drop to around 5000-5500ft by Sunday. Thus, mountain areas are likely to see light snow accumulations, with the greatest amounts of around 7-9 inches expected across the Sierra Crest, and largely remaining around 3-5 inches elsewhere. Given expected snow totals, a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Eastern Sierra through late Sunday morning. The low is progged to move overhead late tonight through Sunday, with lingering precipitation expected Sunday afternoon, particularly across the southern Great Basin in closer proximity to the core of the low. Elsewhere, a drying trend will begin, though temperatures Sunday will be the coldest of the forecast. Highs Sunday afternoon are expected to top out around 5 to 10 degrees below normal for most, with some locations across the highest elevations not making it out of the 30s and 40s. These cooler than normal temperatures will carry into Sunday night, with lows dipping into the 40s and 50s for most, with 20s and 30s in the mountains. .LONG TERM...Monday through Friday. The trough axis remains over the southwestern United States on Monday, helping to maintain near average temperatures for this time of year. Afterwards, the trough moves east and high pressure builds Tuesday onwards. This pattern change will send highs back into above normal territory with highs 5 to 10 degrees above normal by Thursday and Friday. This includes highs in the upper 80s for Las Vegas and in the 90s for the Colorado River Valley. Other than increasing temperatures, light winds and dry conditions are expected. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...For the 00Z Forecast Package... Southwest gusts between 25 and 30 knots will continue into the evening (03Z). After that, winds will diminish somewhat, although gusts of 20 to 25 knots will still be possible well into the overnight period. Gusts will end temporarily before sunrise only to redevelop by mid-morning, and then persist through tomorrow afternoon. VFR conditions should prevail in the valley through the TAF period with only FEW to SCT clouds with bases remaining AOA 12kft AGL. Northwest of the valley along the Beatty corridor, scattered showers and a few isolated thundershowers will be possible after 00Z, with the threat persisting into Sunday morning. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...For the 00Z Forecast Package...Conditions at the Las Vegas area TAF sites will be similar to what is described for Harry Reid above, except a period of light and variable winds remains possible at VGT from late tonight (after 10Z) into tomorrow morning (15Z). At KBIH, gusty southerly winds will shift around to the north and decrease by sunset. VCSH is expected through most of the night, with light showers possible at the terminal (best time between 00Z and 04Z). Winds will remain northerly tomorrow with speeds remaining 15 knots or less. At KDAG, winds will prevail from the west, with gust speeds between 35 and 40 kts this evening, and a few showers are possible near the field for the next few hours. The west winds will diminish overnight, although gusts to 20 knots will still remain possible. Gusty west winds return on Sunday. In the lower Colorado River Valley, south to southwest winds with occasional gusts to 30 knots can be expected into the evening, followed by lighter southerly winds overnight. Gusty winds return Sunday, although speeds should be lower than today. Away from any areas of precipitation that develop, FEW to SCT clouds are forecast with bases generally remaining AOA 12kft AGL into tomorrow afternoon. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && SHORT TERM...Phillipson LONG TERM...Meltzer 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.
These gusts occurred 8 miles NNE of Joshua Tree.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2025
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: 1252894.