Storm leaves avalanche danger

Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001 | 11:15 a.m.

Southern Nevada's temperatures will return to normal, with highs in the low to mid-60s, by Thursday, but an extreme avalanche warning in the back country areas of the Spring Mountains has been issued.

After receiving about 1/2 inch of rain Tuesday, the Las Vegas Valley should warm up and the clouds will clear out after today, National Weather Service meteorologist Charlie Schlott said.

However, the U.S. Forest Service issued an extreme avalanche hazard warning today lasting 24 hours in the areas outside the developed Lee Canyon ski area, snow avalanche forecaster Marcel Barel said.

With more than 2 feet of snow falling on the Spring Mountains west of Las Vegas this week, drifts have piled up in the steep canyons, on open slopes and in gullies.

"Large destructive avalanches are possible," Barel said.

"There's unstable snow in that area," Schlott agreed. "That means it's not a good idea to go hiking or snow-shoeing outside the ski areas."

Avalanches are controlled in the patrolled ski areas of Lee Canyon.

There's no more snow in the forecast for the rest of this week, Schlott said, but if the avalanche danger continues, the Forest Service will extend its warning day by day.

Daytime temperatures in the valley could reach the mid-60s by the weekend. Lows could range from the mid-30s to the mid-40s.

The same storm system that hit Las Vegas had pushed its way out of Alaska and crouched over Southern California since Monday.

Southern California received between 3 and 4 feet of snow in the mountains and more than 4 inches of rain in some coastal cities, Schlott said.