Las Vegas residents and visitors should brace themselves for a weekend of volatile weather. With a potent low-pressure system moving through the Desert Southwest, the forecast predicts gusty winds, isolated to scattered showers, thunderstorms and a noticeable drop in temperature throughout the region until early next week, according to the latest advisory from the National Weather Service Las Vegas, NV.
A Wind Advisory is currently in place for the western Mojave Desert, effective from this afternoon through Sunday early morning. The area is expected to experience wind gusts peaking at 45 mph. Along with the strong winds, this weather system is also bringing an influx of moisture between 150% to 225% above normal, making conditions ripe for thunderstorm development across the Las Vegas Valley. The National Weather Service warns of potential lightning, moderate rainfall, gusty outflow winds, and even the chance for small hail.
As night falls, the bustle of city life usually outshines forces of nature, but tonight might be an exception. Unlike typical patterns where convection subsides after sunset, the forecast indicates that the upper-level trough will provide ongoing lift, increasing the likelihood of showers and storms throughout the night into Sunday. This will bring widespread precipitation chances, ranging from 50 to 90%, with the worst expected on Sunday. Nye County and eastern Esmeralda County may see the brunt of it, with a possibility of severe storms capable of producing wind gusts that exceed 58 mph…