Visitors and locals in Las Vegas looking to celebrate the new year might find themselves juggling umbrellas along with champagne glasses. The National Weather Service Las Vegas has forecasted an increase in rain chances today and going into New Year's Day, coupled with snow levels that are described as "very high."
According to the NWS discussion, a system bringing substantial moisture is moving through the area, with rain chances starting to fill the skies around Las Vegas this afternoon. While a brief respite could give those reveling at midnight a dry spell, the uncertainty hangs over the city like the clouds reported to increase this morning. The report states that "rain chances should fill back in during the day Thursday," suggesting that any break from the wet weather will be fleeting.
For those taking to the skies, aviation forecasts are showing decreased visibility and lower ceilings, with a distinct possibility of light rain toward the evening. For Harry Reid International Airport, the "ceilings falling to around 7kft by the early afternoon" and rain moving in around 00Z are expected. However, the weather service added a cautionary note, saying, "Fog and reduced visibility cannot be ruled out, but confidence was too low to include in the TAF."
Moving to New Year's Day and beyond, the NWS indicates an "active pattern" will linger through the first week of January. Trying to pin down the specifics, as they reported, seems to be a daunting task since predicting which wave will amplify appears to be "a fool's errand at this stage." Settled weather is not seen on the horizon, with the intention to brace for a continuation of intermittent rain and mountain snow.
Aviation specialists and spotters remain on alert, as additional rainfall on Thursday afternoon and evening "with ceilings of around 4-6kft and visibility reductions with moderate rain possible" has been indicated. Furthermore, the NWS encourages spotters "to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures," as keeping abreast of the fast-evolving conditions will be crucial for both safety and the smooth functioning of New Year's events.
