Las Vegans can expect to continue basking in warm, mild conditions through the weekend, with a hint of change arriving early next week, bringing a cooling trend and what could be the season's first freeze for parts of the valley, according to the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. The forecast discussion released early Saturday morning points to a "Rex Block" weather pattern breakdown, a scenario characterized by a high and low-pressure system stuck in place, that's been the reason behind the recent pleasant weather.
The culprit for this atmospheric shift is a low-pressure system moving through the Pacific Northwest, slated to head eastward across the northern Great Plains by Monday, in this impending system change Las Vegas is set to extend its unprecedented dry spell, which, as of December 6th, places the city at a formidable 146 days without measurable precipitation, chasing a record that puts them in 3rd place. The upcoming week could very well see the streak reach 150 days, bumping Vegas into the 2nd spot for its longest dry phase.
Residents, particularly on the southern and western edges of the valley, face a 20 to 30% chance of encountering the first frost of the season come Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. The report by the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. also mentions likely gusty northerly winds, striking from Monday morning through Tuesday, with the Cadiz Basin, Mojave National Preserve, and areas along the Colorado River Valley from Laughlin/Bullhead City to Needles expecting wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph.
Gazing further out into next week, the weather is purported to be fairly uneventful from Wednesday to Friday with a slight warmup each day. However, variability is on the horizon, with an "atmospheric river" potentially targeting central and northern California, this evolving pattern is something to watch, as it might lead to a more unsettled weather trajectory for the Las Vegas area heading into the following weekend.
For aviation interests at Harry Reid and beyond, the skies remain clear, with light winds following expected daily patterns through tomorrow evening. Along the Colorado River Valley, however, areas around KIFP and KEED will endure gusts around 20 to 25 knots Saturday, from late morning into the late afternoon, as noted by the National Weather Service. Lastly, spotters remain a critical eye on the ground, encouraged to report significant weather impacts as they unfold according to standard procedures.
