More nasty weather is on its way, as rain, high winds and snow remain likely for Pahrump Valley and beyond.
Neighbors have posted reports of scattered hail in some parts of southern Nye County this week. High winds reportedly caused some power surges in Pahrump but no extended, widespread outages were reported.
The National Weather Service says northwestern Nye County should expect “blizzard conditions” with 60-mph winds bringing up to 15 inches of snow in some remote parts and as much as 3 feet of snow in mountainous areas.
“Travel is expected to be very difficult to impossible,” say forecasters, who are warning drivers of reduced visibility and “white-out” conditions. “Strong winds could cause tree damage. This is a very potent system that is at historic levels, travel and any outdoor activities are not advised.”
Heavy snow, expected at Mount Charleston
The hardest hit area Thursday was the Spring Mountains where commuters between Pahrump and Las Vegas reported some issues on the pass.
Plows have been treating the roads nearly all week through a winter storm that’s bringing heavy snow above 4,000 feet. Accumulation may be between 8 to 16 inches at Mount Charleston and Red Rock Canyon before the the storm warning expires early Friday. Lee Canyon received 8 inches in the first dose of snow on Wednesday.
As of Wednesday evening, Rabbit Peak had received 147 inches of snow this ski season, according to Lee Canyon’s website.
It’s not a good idea to head to @GoMtCharleston in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area right now. We’re experiencing near white-out blizzard conditions. 4-wheel drive and snow chains are highly recommended. #LVweather
— Humboldt Toiyabe NF (@HumboldtToiyabe) February 23, 2023
On Wednesday evening the Spring Mountains were in a white-out condition and officials were warning against any travel to the area.
Winds may continue to gust up to 65 mph there. A winter storm watch runs through Saturday with 1 to 3 feet of snow possible.
Travel is expected to be difficult with tree damage possible, the weather service warned.
Scattered flight delays Wednesday
Flights to Las Vegas were delayed for about an hour Tuesday night because of strong winds, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
From 7:15 p.m. Tuesday to 1 a.m. Wednesday, departures at Harry Reid International Airport were delayed an average of 56 minutes due to wind, the FAA said.
There were 39 cancellations in the 24 hours prior to 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Arrival delays of 27 minutes and departure delays of 25 minutes were in effect at the airport on Wednesday afternoon.
High winds on Thursday and into the weekend could pose more issues for fliers and difficult travel for motorists.
Marvin Clemonss, Taylor Lane and Brent Schanding contributed to this report.