Isolated showers, strong winds headed for Las Vegas

By Dave Toplikar

Wednesday, April 13, 2011 | 5:13 a.m.

Hang onto the wheel with both hands and keep an umbrella handy.

A fast-moving Pacific storm will sweep through southern Nevada this afternoon, bringing strong winds and a quick shot of showers and thunderstorms to the region, according to the National Weather Service.

Breezy conditions, with isolated showers after 11 a.m., are expected today throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory from noon to 9 p.m. for southern Nevada and northwest Arizona.

Winds will be from the southwest to west, 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 55 mph. The strongest winds are expected between noon and 9 p.m., the weather service said.

Sudden gusts and crosswinds are expected to be strong enough to make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles, forecasters said. Strong winds over desert areas could result in briefly lowered visibilities to well under a miles from blowing dust or sand, they said.

Strong winds will develop across the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin early this afternoon through the evening, the weather service said.

Downslope winds will also develop along the east slopes of the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains and speeds are expected to become high in adjacent portions of the Owens Valley early this afternoon and evening, forecasters said.

Temperatures will be cooler today, with highs reaching only the low 70s, they said. However, an area of high pressure will develop for the weekend, bringing mild weather and temperatures climbing into the 80s, they said.

At 4:56 a.m. today, the temperature at McCarran International Airport was 62 degrees, with gusts of 28 mph. The normal low for today's date is 53 degrees. The record low was 35 degrees, set in 1967 and 1965.

Around the valley just before 5 a.m., temperatures were 61 degrees at North Las Vegas Airport, 60 degrees at Nellis Air Force Base and 56 degrees at Henderson Executive Airport.

Temperatures in the valley were to rise today to 66 degrees by 9 a.m., to 73 degrees by noon and stay 73 degrees through 3 p.m., forecasters said. The normal high for today's date is 77 degrees and the record high was 93 degrees, set in 1990 and 1940.

Temperatures are expected to drop to 69 degrees by 6 p.m., to 62 degrees by 9 p.m. and to 57 degrees by midnight, forecasters said.

Thursday's morning low will be 50 degrees and Thursday's high will climb to 78 degrees, they said.