Short window of snow in Las Vegas Valley made for brief family fun
Eighth-grader Justin Buzoff went to bed late Monday hoping for snow in the morning.
He got his wish.
The 13-year-old awoke to snow covering the west Las Vegas landscape, prompting a trip to Fox Hill Park for some fun building a snowman as he played in the snow for just the second time in his life.
“I checked it (the weather) around midnight and it was snowing a little,” Justin said. “Then when me and my mom woke up around 5, it was like a winter wonderland outside.”
PHOTOS: Snow falls across the Las Vegas Valley
Like Justin and his mom, many Las Vegas residents woke up to snow early Tuesday after a few inches fell — and briefly stuck — in the foothills of the valley.
Centennial Hills received about an inch of snow, according to the National Weather Service. Summerlin accumulated about two inches. Mountains Edge ended up with about an inch and Anthem in Henderson saw trace amounts.
“We just couldn’t wait to go out in the snow,” Justin said.
A short window
The window for enjoying the snow was short, with snowfall tapering off by 7 a.m. as the weather warmed. So some rushed to local parks to enjoy it while it lasted.
Brianna Rivera and Trent Allan went to Fox Hill Park just after dawn to build a snowman.
“Honestly amazing,” Allan said of the scene.
“It’s definitely breathtaking,” Rivera said. “We woke up early. We had to come out and see it!”
The valley was dry by about 8 a.m., Gorelow said. Tuesday reached a high of 43 degrees at 4 p.m.
McCarran International Airport reported light snow but no accumulation Tuesday. The entire valley saw some sort of precipitation, with some areas recording 0.4 inch of rain, meteorologist Andy Gorelow said.
In the far western valley, shortly after pulling his car into a gas station, Alex Mejia, of Las Vegas, described the roads early Tuesday as “very slippery.” Cautious, he was driving slightly under the speed limit, he said.
“I’m checking out a couple of hiking trails around here,” Mejia said. “I’m not going to do anything too crazy, but it is not every day you get snow in Vegas.”
Road restrictions
The Mt. Charleston fire station reported about 20 inches combined of snow after storms Friday, Monday and Tuesday. Lee Canyon accumulated about 17 inches, Gorelow said.
Lee Canyon Road was briefly closed in both directions Tuesday because of weather. Throughout the day, chains or snow tires were required for all vehicles on Lee Canyon, Kyle Canyon and Duck Creek roads. Las Vegas police and Nevada Highway Patrol troopers were enforcing the restriction, which started after brief snowfall Monday, turning many drivers away.
The scenic loop at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area was closed early Tuesday, but opened at about 10 a.m., only allowing in drivers who had reserved spots for entry. The park delayed the loop’s opening until the road could be plowed, a “rare sight” at the park, the park shared on Twitter.
Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter. Review-Journal staff writer Marvin Clemons contributed to this report.
