Las Vegas - Let it snow!

If you're traveling to Vegas on Monday, be prepared for a pre-Christmas surprise.

Has any snow actually stayed around in Vegas before?

I will be heading to Vegas Sunday and would prefer snow over rain

Has any snow actually stayed around in Vegas before?
Depends on how far-reaching your definition of "Vegas" and how long "stayed around" is. If it includes the mountain foothills and "a few hours" then the answer is probably yes.

I will be heading to Vegas Sunday and would prefer snow over rain
Then you'll probably have to go to the mountains, since the forecast for the city is a mixture of "rain and wet snow".

As for me, I'll just avoid driving the highways, since unlike wetter and/or colder climates, many drivers here don't seem to know how to drive in anything other than dry conditions.

Hi,

Last year ( in fact about this date IIRC) there was snow on the strip but it only lasted a few minutes.

However the next day I went on a tour to the Valley of Fire and as we drove past Lake Las Vegas to Lake mead the surrounding area by the side of the road was still snow covered.

Regards

TBS

Has any snow actually stayed around in Vegas before?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9981945@N05/?saved=1

It's the house across the street rather than ours because her vegetation makes for a much better picture.

Given the comments in this thread I'll point out we are in the city, not the surrounding mountains. 2 miles north of Spanish Trails.

I am in Las Vegas now.It sure felt like it was going to snow this morning.
I hope it stays away for a few more days because I do not relish having to drive the grade when it is icy or snowy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9981945@N05/?saved=1


My gosh, its The Day After Tomorrow :D.

... many drivers here don't seem to know how to drive in anything other than dry conditions.I agree, though I wouldn't exclude dry conditions.;)

My gosh, its The Day After Tomorrow :D.

I have another set of shots from two years later with even more snow but no good shots like that one. She put in desert landscaping and the snow doesn't stick so well. (That's the problem with our place, also--desert landscaping. It doesn't make for good snowscapes unless the ground drops below freezing.)

Has any snow actually stayed around in Vegas before?

I have. I am already been went to LAS for almost more than seventh time. I will rather to do it again in 2009. This is my first night where I am stayed at Aladdin in 2003. I have tell you something more constructions is going on. I saw constructions more hotel in LAS. It was lot of the hotel/condo, too. I didn't realize know that and so please go to seeing my trip reports detail but, the pictures are in there, too.

Has any snow actually stayed around in Vegas before?

IIRC it snowed several inches right around Christmas last year (2007).

OK. Technically that was in Henderson, but I assume some of it stuck in Vegas, too.

Has any snow actually stayed around in Vegas before?

There's limited accumulation every couple years. '07, '05 are the last two I remember.

There's limited accumulation every couple years.
Agreed.

Well we got out just fine-except for some REALLY strong winds till Barstow.
Interestingly the traffic-which is normally very light on Saturday afternoon was much heavier going in both directions :confused:

Well we got out just fine-except for some REALLY strong winds till Barstow.


Good to hear bigguyinpasadena. Was quite bumpy flying back from SFO yesterday as well.

There's limited accumulation every couple years. '07, '05 are the last two I remember.

As a lifelong resident (I am 50 years young) I can tell you that we have actually been getting snow more frequently as the years have gone on. I believe (and I am no meteorologist) that it is due to the increased humidity due to the increased population, combined with the fact that the old city was mainly lower in the valley than it is now. As the town has grown, more homes have been built in the higher altitudes. The center of town gets MUCH less snow than the outlying areas.

When I was a child, the answer always given was that it snowed every 7 years where it stayed on the ground. Now it seems to snow every 2-3 years where it sticks.

I do not believe that the temp has decreased, just that due to the factors above, we get more.

As a lifelong resident (I am 50 years young) I can tell you that we have actually been getting snow more frequently as the years have gone on. I believe (and I am no meteorologist) that it is due to the increased humidity due to the increased population, combined with the fact that the old city was mainly lower in the valley than it is now. As the town has grown, more homes have been built in the higher altitudes. The center of town gets MUCH less snow than the outlying areas.

When I was a child, the answer always given was that it snowed every 7 years where it stayed on the ground. Now it seems to snow every 2-3 years where it sticks.

I do not believe that the temp has decreased, just that due to the factors above, we get more.

Yeah--we are something like 500' above the valley floor. It's not unusual for me to hear of snow in the even higher locations when we get none.

It's snowing now, most places in the west and northwest... can't speak for the rest of town.

Sticking to dirt, coating lots of roofs.

Asphalt on roads is still all wet.

It's snowing now, most places in the west and northwest... can't speak for the rest of town.

Sticking to dirt, coating lots of roofs.

Asphalt on roads is still all wet.

In Vegas now with my Thai wife, who's never seen snow. What's a good place to drive her to see some snow for the day?

In Vegas now with my Thai wife, who's never seen snow. What's a good place to drive her to see some snow for the day?

Take her to Mt Charlston. There is REAL now there. You can have a nice dinner at the lodge.

In Vegas now with my Thai wife, who's never seen snow. What's a good place to drive her to see some snow for the day?

There should be a good view from the Spearmint Rhino.

QL

Just quit snowing here maybe half an hour ago.

There should be a good view from the Spearmint Rhino.

QLand just why would one want to look out the window when at the spearmint rhino? ;)

More snow predicted for later today.

More snow predicted for later today.
Snowing now. Quite a bit. Actually sticking.

One TV news report says 6 to 9 inches.... wonder where that is... got at least an inch here in the north side of town.

We have well over an inch in Boulder City...they let us out early!^

LAS airport is closed (http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=9533950&nav=168Y) due to snow. The National Weather Service says this could end up being the biggest snowstorm to impact Las Vegas since 1979 when 7.8 inches of snow was measured at McCarran International Airport.
Other articles say 3 inches on the strip.

LAS airport is closed (http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=9533950&nav=168Y) due to snow.
Other articles say 3 inches on the strip.

Yikes, I have a flight tomorrow.

Yikes, I have a flight tomorrow.Storm is scheduled to pass by early morning tomorrow so:
(a) your flight will probably be okay, but:
(b) a lot of people will be rebooked from today onto tomorrow's flights, so expect a full/overbooked flight.

Snow has switched to rain in the Southwest part of town.

YIKES!
I have to drive to Las Vegas on Sunday for work(there the whole week)and the Cahon pass has been closed twice this week.
Hope I can get there and back(have to drive unfortunately)on 12/27

United issued a (un)useful travel advisory (http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,52665,00.html).

Anyone in the mood for a BUMP run tomorrow?

United issued a (un)useful travel advisory (http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,52665,00.html).

Anyone in the mood for a BUMP run tomorrow?


December 17-18, 2008 Weather conditions in Las Vegas are causing travel delays and cancellations. To support and serve our customers better, United Airlines recommends that you check the status of your flight before going to the airport.

Wow, that's pretty impressively unhelpful, even by UA standards. Reminds me of living in England, when the train companies would cancel your train then advise you to "seek other methods of transportation to your destination".

UA appears to be ferrying planes to/from LAS. Check 9796 for a rar! 320 LAS-DEN on Thursday afternoon. Check 9797 for a 757 LAX-LAS on Thursday night.

Updated United rescue plan thread in UA forum: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-mileage-plus/900542-ua-rescue-planes-las-12-18-incl-777-757-a.html

Are they rescuing people from Las Vegas?

Heh. Reminds me of a comment on one of the news stories linked above: "It's true, Hell has frozen over."

Snowing now. Quite a bit. Actually sticking.

One TV news report says 6 to 9 inches.... wonder where that is... got at least an inch here in the north side of town.

Southwest here, maybe 1/2" on the ground.

Southwest here, maybe 1/2" on the ground.

No snow by me just wintery mix on the ground.

Lots of snow here. I am near the airport. Prob at least 4-5 inches at the height of the snowing. About 2-3 inches still left after raining for the last 3 hours or so.

Headed to CRF then LAS 3 hours before my flight. This looks like it will be a mess. US canceled another PHX flight and routed me nonstop to LAX on a 321.

If folks would like to discuss global warming, let me direct you to OMNI :)

Off-topic posts, though, here have been deleted.

cblaisd
Senior Moderator

Wirelessly posted (FlyerTalk.com/wap is fun : BlackBerry9530/4.7.0.75 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Deicing trucks are breaking
down. Whole world of pain coming.

Whole world of pain coming.
Or a whole world of VDB opportunity for FTers.

I remember many many years ago up at the Stratosphere tower it was snowing at that level but never made it solid all the way to the ground so the snow never reached all the way to the bottom.

I remember many many years ago up at the Stratosphere tower it was snowing at that level but never made it solid all the way to the ground so the snow never reached all the way to the bottom.
This stuff was heavy, wet snow. I saw it accumulating on the wings of a 757 while I waited for my flight until they told us to come back the next morning (why AA never sent me a flight status email is beyond me - the last email those boobs sent me said teh flight was on time at 3:20pm). It was a rare and interesting event that I can say I witnessed. Even more bizarre, my flight wasn't cancelled since the plane and crew were there; they just delayed us from 3:20pm to 7:30am the next morning. Due to AA's ground crew's inexpereince with the procedure - hey it is Vegas after all, de-icing took about an hour Thursday morning.

This stuff was heavy, wet snow. I saw it accumulating on the wings of a 757 while I waited for my flight until they told us to come back the next morning (why AA never sent me a flight status email is beyond me - the last email those boobs sent me said teh flight was on time at 3:20pm). It was a rare and interesting event that I can say I witnessed. Even more bizarre, my flight wasn't cancelled since the plane and crew were there; they just delayed us from 3:20pm to 7:30am the next morning. Due to AA's ground crew's inexpereince with the procedure - hey it is Vegas after all, de-icing took about an hour Thursday morning.

You just can't use heavy wet snow and a word with two Bs with two Os in between it in the Vegas forum and not have people make innuendo.

As for the delays vs. cancelations, many airlines did this. It was quite confusing at LAS.

Realllly beautiful driving here ^ Althought it felt more like driving to Reno than to Las Vegas :D
Left Pasadena at 6am, very little traffic. From the pass all the way into LV there is still a lo of snow on the ground-and ICE :eek:

This stuff was heavy, wet snow. I saw it accumulating on the wings of a 757 while I waited for my flight until they told us to come back the next morning (why AA never sent me a flight status email is beyond me - the last email those boobs sent me said teh flight was on time at 3:20pm). It was a rare and interesting event that I can say I witnessed. Even more bizarre, my flight wasn't cancelled since the plane and crew were there; they just delayed us from 3:20pm to 7:30am the next morning. Due to AA's ground crew's inexpereince with the procedure - hey it is Vegas after all, de-icing took about an hour Thursday morning.

The problem is we aren't equipped for de-icing planes or plowing runways.

Another winter storm is set to blow in on Christmas.

Possibility of more snow.... yes... a White Christmas in Vegas....

Another winter storm is set to blow in on Christmas.

Possibility of more snow.... yes... a White Christmas in Vegas....

Is the ground covered with snow now (12/22)?

Is the ground covered with snow now (12/22)?
Only at the higher altitudes (mountains). Nowhere in the city that I know of.

Is the ground covered with snow now (12/22)?I had a little this morning...now gone.

Is the ground covered with snow now (12/22)?

It never sticks around very long here. There's a lot of white on the mountains but even the sheltered locations around our house at least were completely clear of it in 24 hours.

Only at the higher altitudes (mountains). Nowhere in the city that I know of.

Are you absolutely sure about your weather isn't snowing in LAS?

Are you absolutely sure about your weather isn't snowing in LAS?If you're looking at radar, it's possible there is snow in the upper altitudes but not reaching the ground. The rain equivalent is called virga.

Are you absolutely sure about your weather isn't snowing in LAS?

An hour ago I went outside. Light rain. Not a flake in sight.

An hour ago I went outside. Light rain. Not a flake in sight.

Yeah, what is your weather condition is doing for tomorrow? Is that not too much snow or light rain?

Oh, tomorrow here in PHX the weather will be raining alot for all day long. So I won't go outside during the entire time. So it will might to get need more rains lot.

Yeah, what is your weather condition is doing for tomorrow? Is that not too much snow or light rain?

Oh, tomorrow here in PHX the weather will be raining alot for all day long. So I won't go outside during the entire time. So it will might to get need more rains lot.

Now it's sun.



Followup, evening: Rain, lots of wind. Not a flake in sight.

It is a stunningly beautiful sunrise in Las Vegas this morning-the rain yesterday washed all of the sludge left form the snow the week before.Sunny with just a few small clouds which add painterly glow to the scene,Crisp,clear, cold and clean air-great morning for a walk!

As of this moment, the sun is shining and snow is falling in Boulder City.