Las Vegas residents and visitors should brace themselves for another bout of showers and thunderstorms starting this morning and lingering into the evening, with similar conditions predicted for tomorrow, as reported by the National Weather Service Las Vegas. According to their early morning forecast discussion, the central parts of the forecast area are more likely to see storm development due to the absence of cloud cover that usually inhibits daytime heating.
Those venturing into the outdoors, especially hikers and boaters, need to remain vigilant as storms are expected to emerge primarily over higher terrain before drifting towards the north, carrying typical risks such as strong winds, potential flash flooding, and frequent lightning—boaters, in particular, should heed warnings of possible choppy waters and hazardous conditions on area lakes caused by the storm's strong outflow winds. The forecast for tomorrow doesn't indicate much of a change, although a drop in temperatures can be anticipated as 500 mb heights begin to decrease, "Storms will tend to favor areas of higher terrain for initial development, tending to drift off the higher terrain moving from south to north," the NWS advisory detailed.
Looking ahead at the rest of the week, the chances for showers and thunderstorms will persist through midweek, courtesy of lingering monsoonal moisture and a weak shortwave trough approaching the coast of California, providing additional lift for storm formation on Tuesday and Wednesday with Tuesday flagged as the likely peak for widespread convection, "Ensemble members continue to highlight Tuesday as the day with the best chances for widespread convection with showers and thunderstorm activity lingering into Wednesday and potentially Thursday for portions of the area," underscored the NWS forecast discussion.
For aviators, the Harry Reid terminal can expect quiet weather early this morning, but conditions may quickly evolve as showers and thunderstorms become more likely during mid-morning and early afternoon hours near the airport, "Although afternoon thunderstorm coverage could be greater," the NWS forecast suggests cautioning of sudden, unpredictable wind shifts that often accompany such systems. The extended forecast hints at conditions gradually drying out as the week progresses, with the weekend expected to see a return to a more arid climate typical of the region.
Local spotters have been urged by the NWS to report significant weather or impacts in alignment with standard operating procedures, supporting accurate and timely updates to weather services and the public.
