Shoppers take cover under an umbrella at a Las Vegas-area Albertsons as a winter storm rolls through the region, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016.
Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016 | 4:28 p.m.
CES is rolling into Las Vegas about the same time as a string of storms bringing rain, heavy fog and snow to the region.
The weather is also bringing big headaches for travelers headed to Las Vegas for the annual trade show, which starts Wednesday and last year drew more than 170,000 attendees. Many took to social media today, griping about delayed and canceled flights and having to scramble to make other arrangements.
Montelle Kline, senior training manager for networking equipment manufacturer Netgear, said four of the company’s employees were in a car headed for Las Vegas after being unable to get a flight out of San Jose, Calif.
The average delay for arriving flights at McCarran International Airport this afternoon was about three hours and 45 minutes, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Kline, who took a direct flight from Miami, said she didn’t face any delays and expected the Netgear team would be ready to go for Wednesday’s exhibition.
“I’m hoping everybody is able to get through,” she said. “The show is a big draw for pretty much everybody that is in the retail space.”
Kline said she doubted the weather would seriously impact CES. “This show has grown over the years, and I really don’t see anything affecting it,” she said.
National Weather Service meteorologist John Adair said a third to half inch of rain is expected in Las Vegas today and tonight, potentially setting a record. The most rain recorded for today’s date was 0.47 inches in 1974.
Meteorologists aren’t expecting the skies to clear up until Friday night, with the potential for more storms late Saturday, Adair said.
Heavy snow, meanwhile, is expected in the Spring Mountains, where a winter storm warning is in effect through 4 a.m. Wednesday. Between 2 and 6 inches of snow is expected between 5,000 and 8,000 feet, with up to a foot at higher elevations.
Farther to the north, snow was falling in Reno, where a winter storm watch was issued for 10 a.m. Wednesday until 4 a.m. Thursday.
U.S. Sens. Harry Reid and Dean Heller both canceled appearances in Reno today because of flight delays.
About a foot of snow is possible at the upper elevations around Lake Tahoe by Wednesday night, with up to 6 inches at lake level.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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