


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Las Vegas, NV
Issued by NWS Las Vegas, NV
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840 FXUS65 KVEF 021949 AFDVEF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 1249 PM PDT Wed Jul 2 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... * Widespread showers and thunderstorms are will continue through the evening as a low pressure system moves through. Sudden strong wind gusts will again be a concern. * Drier conditions resume by Friday with a warming trend heading into next week. * Breezy conditions and low humidity will lead to elevated fire danger for the 4th of July. && .DISCUSSION...Today through the Middle of Next Week. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue to develop across the region and stream north through the day. The forecast for day remains on track from previous thinking with no significant chances in the expected impacts and thunderstorm areas. Instability increases this afternoon with CAPE over 500-1000 J/Kg developing across southern Nevada and western Arizona. This combined with upper level forcing with an incoming upper level low will result in more widespread and organized thunderstorms versus yesterday. PWATs have increased in the past 24 hours, which inherently would decrease the wind threat compared to yesterday. However, yesterday`s set up lacked instability and organized thunderstorm structure, so even though low levels have moistened per the 12Z Las Vegas sounding, there is still an inverted-V signature on the sounding and added instability means there is still a threat for sudden gusty downburst winds today. HREF has a high chance (70%) for wind gusts over 40 MPH with areawide thunderstorms, and a low chance for wind gusts up to 60 MPH centered over southern Nevada. In addition today, with increased moisture and training thunderstorms, heavy rain and isolated flash flooding is possible. The highest risk for heavy rain should be in northern Mohave County where better moisture and instability overlap as well as far southern Clark County where HRRR model radar output suggests training storms. As instability wanes after sunset, precipitation will also diminish. The latest HRRR runs does hang on to precipitation through much of the night in Mohave County which is the outlier compared to other hi-res model runs. However, the HRRR solution does have some meteorological support as the upper level low will be moving into Nevada and increased forcing could allow for additional overnight develop. Later shifts will need to monitor trends as a solution like the HRRR would result in continued heavy rain and isolated lash flood threat overnight. As the low moves eastward and weakens Thursday, drier air will gradually work east. This will result in some lingering activity Thursday afternoon across Mohave County and perhaps Lincoln and Clark Counties. Thunderstorms on Thursday could produce sudden gusty winds but the threat would be lower and more isolated than today. Drier air will sweep through area wide by Friday with temperatures hovering near to slightly below normal over the weekend before a warming trend begins next week. Thunderstorm activity will trend wetter today which should limit the coverage of Dry lightning, though western areas of the Great Basin and parts of the Mojave Desert may still see relatively little rainfall with the storms. Nonetheless, surface dewpoints will keep minimum RH values elevated and help to improve the fire danger somewhat. However, breezy southwesterly winds on Friday will return with much drier air pushing in, and will result in elevated fire danger Friday, just in time for the 4th of July. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...For the 18Z Forecast Package...Convection will continue to impact the terminals and surrounding region today. Thunderstorm activity will be higher and more widespread compared to yesterday with scattered convection at times through all corridors and jet routes. Lightning, sudden gusty winds, brief heavy rain, and CIGs to 7000ft are possible with thunderstorms today, with the highest risk for impacts between 21Z and 01Z. Convection will wane after sunset with precipitation ending by 06Z. After a dry night, additional showers and thunderstorms will develop Thursday afternoon. Thunderstorms on Thursday should be more isolated than today but could still produce lightning, gusty outflow winds, brief heavy rain, and CIGs below 10kft. Outside of convective influences, winds this afternoon will be east to southeast, occasionally gusting to 20KT. Winds will diminish tonight and follow typical wind trends. Southeast winds will increase again Thursday afternoon but will be a bit lower than today. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...For the 18Z Forecast Package...Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected across the region through this evening. Convection may produce sudden gusty winds and patchy blowing dust with visibility reductions, with the greatest confidence in storms impacting southern Nevada. Thunderstorms are possible at KBIH, the Las Vega Valley TAF sites, and KIFP, with a low risk for thunderstorms at KEED. KDAG should remain dry. Thunderstorm impacts today include lightning, sudden gusty winds, heavy rain, and CIGs to 7000ft. Convection will wane after sunset with precipitation ending by 06Z and a dry night is expected. Outside of convection, winds will be breezy with gusts to 15-25KT expected, with stronger gusts to around 30kt expected through the Owens Valley and across the Western Mojave. Overnight, winds will diminish and settle out of typical diurnal patterns. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && $$ DISCUSSION/AVIATION...Nickerson For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter