Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Bitter cold closes Nevada schools; minus 19 near Elko

0221_LVNB_SnowFeature

Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau

People enjoy the snow at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area overlook Thursday, February 21, 2019.

Updated Friday, Feb. 22, 2019 | 3:44 p.m.

Snow Las Vegas!

A snowman is seen at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area overlook Thursday, February 21, 2019. Launch slideshow »

Bitter cold blanketed most of northern Nevada a day after rare snow fell on Las Vegas, forcing the closure of some schools on Friday and delaying the opening of other schools and government offices.

In northeast Nevada, the low temperature dropped to minus 19 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 28 Celsius) early Friday near Elko in the mountains around Lamoille and minus 14 (minus 26 Celsius) at Deeth, the National Weather Service said. It was minus 7 (minus 22 Celsius) at the Elko airport and minus 4 (minus 20 Celsius) in Wells about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the Utah line.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak's office announced Friday that he was ordering a two-hour delayed opening at 10 a.m. for offices in Carson City, Douglas County south of Carson City and Washoe County surrounding Reno because of overnight snow and cold.

The governor also ordered a 10 a.m. delayed start for offices in southern Nevada's Clark County including Las Vegas, where state roads were dangerous and icy.

The Clark County School District canceled all classes Friday because of the road conditions. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State College were on a delayed start and canceled classes before 10 a.m.

Schools in northern Nevada's Washoe County School District were on a two-hour delayed start Friday.

In the Sierra, the low early Friday was minus 8 (minus 22 Celsius) at South Lake Tahoe, California, with above-zero lows on the eastern side of the mountains — 3 degrees (minus 16 Celsius) at Minden, 7 (minus 14 Celsius) at Carson City, 11 (minus 12 Celsius) in Lovelock and 16 (minus 9 Celsius) at Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

High temperatures rebounded Friday afternoon across the region, mostly in the upper 20s and 30s, with warmer weather forecast through the weekend.