Mount Charleston Lodge counting on snow this week

Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2003 | 9:21 a.m.

With little more than a dusting of snow on the ground last weekend, the Mount Charleston Lodge already was busy.

With a 30 percent chance of snow predicted for the lower elevations of the mountain Wednesday and Thursday, employees at the mountain recreation areas figure they will be packed with visitors this weekend.

"We're really excited up here -- I've got the fireplace lit and ready to go," said Juana Bunyea, graveyard shift bartender for the lodge just above the 7,700-foot elevation mark. "We're getting about 50 calls a night with people asking about snow."

On Monday, the mountain saw its second storm of the young season, but the snow only fell above the 8,000-foot mark leaving dry ground under sunny skies and temperatures one degree above freezing this morning at the lodge, the National Weather Service said.

A snow storm two weeks ago left the white stuff above the 7,000-foot mark, said Las Vegas-based National Weather Service Meteorologist Donald Maker.

Maker said the snow headed for the mountain this week from a low pressure system currently in the San Diego area should bring significant snow to the 6,800-foot level Wednesday and 6,200-foot elevation on Thursday.

That same system off the West Coast is expected to bring rain to the Las Vegas Valley, Maker said.

There is a 60 percent chance of rain for Las Vegas on Wednesday, dropping to 40 percent Wednesday night, Maker said.

"We could get as much as a quarter of an inch of rain," he said.

The probability for rain is expected to drop to 10 percent by Thursday, Maker said.