Storm brightens scenery, makes travel difficult

Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2001 | 11:23 a.m.

Travel info

For those who need to travel today, the Nevada Department of Transportation has up-to-date road conditions listed by calling 486-3116.

Southern Nevada's mountain ranges wore a mantle of white as up to a foot of fresh snow fell overnight on Mount Charleston west of the Las Vegas Valley.

Las Vegas residents and visitors had to view the Spring Mountain snowpack from afar, because the road to Mount Charleston was closed to everyone except residents of the mountain community.

No flurries stuck on city streets, but the scenic loop around the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 15 miles west of Las Vegas, was closed due to ice.

Icy roads and snow closed Interstate 15 from Stateline to Baker, Calif. The Nevada Department of Transportation also reported that chains or snow tires were required on State Route 160 over Mountain Pass on the way to Pahrump.

Even traveling northeast on Interstate 15 to Utah brought wet pavement and light snows to travelers.

Those road conditions were still in effect this morning.

There is a chance of more snow in the mountains late today and even a stray rain shower in the valley, National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Downs said.

More likely the valley will experience northerly winds between 10 and 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph through Wednesday, Downs said.

The winter storm plunged south of Las Vegas where areas in Needles, Calif., and around Lake Havasu picked up an inch of rain overnight. The storm is expected to pick up energy and dump snow in the Rocky Mountains and rain and snow in Texas later this week.

Temperatures hovered about 10 degrees below normal with highs in the 40s and lows between the mid-20s and mid-30s for the valley tonight, the National Weather Service said. A year ago today the high reached 67 degrees in Las Vegas.

Temperatures are not expected to warm up to the mid-50s until later this week, Downs said.

At 7 a.m. it was 6 degrees Fahrenheit on Mount Charleston, but the wind chill made it feel below zero, weather forecasters said.