A strong trough of low pressure over the Pacific Northwest brought high gradient winds to the southern Great Basin and southern Nevada.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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 trough of low pressure over the Pacific Northwest brought high gradient winds to the southern Great Basin and 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 May 17, 10:53 AM PST, 3 hours 2 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 1153 AM PDT Sun May 17 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... * Expect strong winds, blowing dust, and cooling temperatures through Monday as a trough moves across the region. && .DISCUSSION...through Sunday. Southwesterly winds have begun to develop across the forecast area and they will continue to strengthen throughout the afternoon. The cold front is still just to the north of the area but will begin to push into the northern fringes during the early afternoon hours in places like Bishop and Tonopah. The front should push through the Las Vegas Valley between 7pm and 8pm with the winds shifting abruptly to the northwest. Based on the latest trends with surface pressure gradients and upper level support, the strongest winds should be over Inyo, Esmeralda and Nye Counties where gusts could exceed 70 mph. Keeping an eye on satellite imagery for blowing dust potential and there is beginning to be some hints of blowing dust coming off of some dry lake beds in Mineral County. We'll be watching this closely everywhere this afternoon and evening but particulary in Death Valley National Park and southern Nye Counties. The wind products look in good shape and no changes have been made. Expect widespread gusts between 40 and 55 mph as well as stronger gusts in excess of 60 mph in parts of southern Nevada and southeastern California. Drivers should be prepared for hazardous crosswinds and blowing dust, and boaters should be aware of waves between 2 and 4 feet on Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, and Lake Havasu with potential for higher waves behind the front in the Overton Arm and Lake Mohave tonight. Showers (40-80% probability) and even an isolated thunderstorm with a couple hundred J/kg of CAPE in place across eastern Lincoln and northern Mohave Counties during the afternoon and early evening hours. This strong spring system will exit quickly on Monday and take the stronger winds with it but some gusty northerly winds will linger down the Colorado River Valley throughout the day on Monday. Temperatures will be noticeably cooler areawide on Monday and about 10 degrees below their seasonal normals. That will be short lived as temperatures will climb steadily during the week, reaching back to normal levels by Wednesday and 5 to 10 degrees above normal by late week and into the weekend. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...For the 18Z Forecast Package... South to southwest winds will continue to intensify this afternoon, with wind gusts of 30 to 40 knots likely after 21Z. A quick shift to the north is expected between 02Z and 03Z as a strong cold front pushes through the valley. Strong northwest wind gusts of 45 to 50 knots will be possible between 02Z and 06Z before gradually diminishing through the remainder of the night. Areas of blowing dust may result in temporary visibility reductions behind the front, with visibilities in the range of 5 to 8 miles possible. Northerly winds will continue through daybreak Monday but gradually ease in intensity during the early morning hours. Periods of low-level turbulence can be expected through the TAF period. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...For the 18Z Forecast Package...Strong winds are expected across much of the region this afternoon and into tonight. For all terminals outside of KBIH, expect gusty west to southwest winds through the afternoon, with gusts in the 25 to 35 knot range. Winds will shift to the northwest behind a surging cold front moving from north to south across the region. Winds behind the front will increase to 20 to 30 knots with gusts of 40 knots to perhaps 50 knots. Winds will begin to diminish late tonight at most sites but will remain elevated at KIFP and KEED, where the strong winds will persist into Monday morning. For KBIH, winds will generally remain north to northwest with gusts approaching 50 knots late this afternoon and early evening. For all sites, aside from the strong winds, mid and high cloudiness will move across the region in association with the front, but bases are expected to remain AOA 15kft AGL. && .FIRE WEATHER...Gusty southwesterly winds will continue to strengthen across much of the area this afternoon before a frontal passage causes a shift to the north to northwest this afternoon and evening. There will be widespread gusts between 40 and 55 mph with isolated stronger gusts of 60 to 70 mph+. The strongest winds are expected in Inyo, Esmeralda and Nye Counties. Precipitation is not expected outside of eastern Lincoln County and far northern Mohave County this afternoon and early evening with a few lightning strikes not our of the question (20% probability). Minimum humidity falls to the 10 to 20 percent range this afternoon. Elevated to critical fire weather conditions continue where fuels are receptive and a Red Flag Warning remains in effect for northwestern Arizona until 8 PM MST this evening. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && DISCUSSION/FIRE WEATHER...Czyzyk 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.
6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Widespread high winds were recorded at the Nevada National Security Site and along U.S. Highway 95 in Nye County.
A high wind gust was recorded at a Mountain Sorings RAWS in the Sporing Mountains.
High winds were recorded at a mesonet site on the Nevada National Security Site.
High winds were recorded at a Nevada Department of Transportation roadside mesonet sensor. The sensor ceased reporting at 1824 PST.
High winds were recorded at two ASOS sites in the Las Vegas Valley.
A high wind gust was recorded at a Desert Research Institute mesonet site in the Sheep Range.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, May 2026
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: 1341972, 1342002, 1341990, 1341976, 1342006, 1341996.