Las Vegas gets chilly as winter storm brings snow, strong winds

Winter weather arrived in the Las Vegas Valley on Sunday night, and more precipitation is possible as the week progresses.

Snow and snow pellets, also called graupel, fell throughout the valley Sunday night, though the northwest valley was probably the “best area” for snowfall, National Weather Service meteorologist John Adair said.

It appears winter has come to the @reviewjournal parking lot pic.twitter.com/hdwdYDX2g2

— Mike Shoro (@mike_shoro) February 11, 2019

Some snow was sticking to grass or cars, but much of it wasn’t accumulating, he said.

Graupel falls from nimbus or cumulonimbus clouds, the same types that produce snow or thunderstorms, according to the weather service.

It is formed when the snowflakes in the clouds encounter the supercooled water, which is still liquid even though it is below freezing. The water droplets then freeze onto the snowflakes, giving the graupel a round shape.

Meanwhile, nearly 1,200 NV Energy customers were without power Sunday night in Clark County, according to the power company’s website.

Conditions Monday will be calm and mostly sunny with temperatures reaching 51 degrees in the afternoon — 10 degrees lower than the normal high temperature for this time of year, meteorologist Andy Gorelow said. The overnight low will drop to 33.

Skies on Tuesday will be partly cloudy, and temperatures are expected to rise to 55 degrees, the weather service said.

“Monday and Tuesday look quite nice,” Adair said.

Winds could kick up again Wednesday ahead of a second weather system that will bring a 50 percent chance for rain all day Wednesday and a 40 percent chance into Thursday morning. The weather services expects temperatures to reach 56 on Wednesday before climbing to 61 on Thursday.

Temperatures both nights should dip to the mid-40s, Gorelow said.

Friday will be partly cloudy with temperatures nearing 61 in the afternoon, the weather service said.

Contact Kimber Laux at klaux@reviewjournal.com. Follow @lauxkimber on Twitter. Review-Journal staff writer Mike Shoro contributed to this report.

And the light snow showers have reached Green Valley. #vegas #vegasweather pic.twitter.com/n9Gc6Cqnt8

— Mick Akers (@mickakers) February 11, 2019

LET’S GET WEIRD! It’s snowing in Las Vegas! pic.twitter.com/FmRsBCJeCS

— Elaine Emerson (@E15Emerson) February 11, 2019

❄ Well this doesn't happen very often! We are seeing some flakes at the NWS Las Vegas office with nothing able to stick. Enjoy it because it won't last much longer! ❄ #vegasweather #nvwx pic.twitter.com/ufuO1UG6zV

— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) February 11, 2019