Rain could dampen LV holiday weekend

Mary Manning and Launce Rake

Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004 | 11:20 a.m.

Powerful winter storms are expected to push into Las Vegas throughout the week bringing rain that could linger into the New Year.

The soggy weather is expected to bring cooler temperatures into the Las Vegas Valley, ranging from daytime highs in the 50s to lows in the 30s.

Plans for the New Year's Eve kickoff to the yearlong Las Vegas Centennial party were continuing Monday night, said Mary Anne Beaman, Las Vegas Events director of event programming.

"We can shoot fireworks in the rain," Beaman said, but it is gusty winds that will determine whether the show goes on from 10 locations from Excalibur to the Stratosphere along the famed Las Vegas Strip.

At 11:45 p.m. Friday a few test fireworks will be lit, Beaman said.

Then the Clark County Fire Department will determine if it is safe enough to go on with the entire show.

"Every year we go through this, saying, 'Let's pray, pray, pray there are no high winds,' " Beaman said.

Prayers not withstanding, however, unsettled weather is in the forecast for the entire week.

Andrew Gorelow, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Las Vegas, said significant precipitation is expected through the middle of the week, and more could come by the weekend.

"We could top six inches of rain for the year," Gorelow said with four days to go before 2005 arrives.

To date the valley has recorded 5.66 inches of rain for this year, Gorelow said. An average year brings 4.49 inches of rain to Las Vegas.

However, the extra rain falling this year has not dented the ongoing regional drought plaguing Southern Nevada and the Southwest.

"The drought is definitely a long-term problem," Gorelow said.

Las Vegas residents have cut back on using water for outdoor landscapes, Southern Nevada Water Authority spokesman Vince Alberta said.

For example, in November 2003 residents consumed 28,340 acre feet of water, compared to 26,780 acre feet for the same month this year, Alberta said.

Overall in 2003 the community consumed 270,000 acre feet. "We expect to be at that figure or below it for 2004," Alberta said.

Water officials on Monday reminded residents to turn off lawn sprinklers this week and let the rain water the turf.

The storm is expected to bring significant moisture to Southern Nevada.

"We basically have a pretty strong upper level low off the coast of California that's going to move through the region tonight and draw up a lot of moisture," Gorelow said of the first system, which would bring rain today and Wednesday.

Those two days, he said, "definitely look wet."

"We're calling for an inch and a half" of rain in the Las Vegas Valley "through Wednesday," Gorelow said. Mount Charleston could see almost two feet of snow by Wednesday night, he added.

The rain and snow could continue through Saturday.

"We're having a series of low pressure systems move in off the coast," Gorelow said. That will bring a chance of more precipitation New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Sunday, however, looks dry at this point, he added.

Barbara Orcutt, owner of the Mt. Charleston Lodge, said she welcomes the snow.

"I think it's great," she said. "I mean, the timing's perfect."

Her lodge becomes a popular destination when the snow is combined with steaming cups of hot chocolate and a roaring fire near the top of the mountain. During the Christmas weekend about 6,000 cars were counted making the trip, Orcutt said, citing Metro Police numbers.

But motorists need to be careful when making a trek to the lodge, Orcutt warned.

"They need to be aware we're at 8,000 feet elevation," she said. "Sometimes it's kind of hard to conceive that we're in a winter wonderland. Usually Metro is out with traffic control, which kind of reminds them."

The Nevada Department of Transportation works to keep the roads plowed, and Metro will restrict access in case of bad weather. Snow tires and snow chains are required when there is significant snowfall.

Orcutt said would-be travelers to Mount Charleston can call the lodge for updated road information at 872-5408.