Scattered showers to end this morning for Las Vegas

By Dave Toplikar

Monday, Dec. 6, 2010 | 5:25 a.m.

Showers from a Pacific storm that crossed the region overnight brought varying amounts of scattered rain to the Las Vegas Valley, according to the National Weather Service.

But drier weather, sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s are ahead today for Las Vegas, the weather service said.

As of 5 a.m., 0.13 of an inch of rain had fallen at McCarran International Airport. North Las Vegas recorded about .06 of an inch, Nellis Air Force Base reported .02 of an inch and Henderson Executive Airport had .09 of an inch. Other amounts recorded in Clark County were 0.15 at the National Weather Service office, 0.15 at Red Rock Canyon and 1.38 inches at Mount Charleston/Kyle Canyon.

The weather service said the storm system also produced heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada above 8,500 feet. They also said the snow level was quite high across southern Nevada, but most of the precipitation fell as rain in the Spring Mountains.

A band of rain will continue moving across northeast Clark County and the northern and eastern parts of Lake Mead early this morning before shifting across northern Mohave County, Arizona, forecasters said. Additional rainfall amounts of a tenth of an inch or less can be expected with this band as it lifts to the northeast and away from the area by mid morning, they said.

A ridge of high pressure will then be over the region through the end of the week, they said. Although a few clouds will be seen at times, dry conditions with above normal temperatures in the are expected, they said.

At 4:56 a.m. today, the temperature at McCarran International Airport was 54 degrees. The normal low for today's date is 38 degrees. The record low was 23 degrees, set in 1942.

Around the valley just before 5 a.m., temperatures were 48 degrees at North Las Vegas Airport, 48 degrees at Nellis Air Force Base and 50 degrees at Henderson Executive Airport.

Temperatures in the valley were to rise today to 56 degrees by 9 a.m., to 62 degrees by noon and reach a high of 63 degrees by 1 p.m., forecasters said. The normal high for today's date is 59 degrees and the record high was 76 degrees, set in 1938.

Temperatures are expected to drop to 59 degrees by 6 p.m., to 54 degrees by 9 p.m. and to 50 degrees by midnight, forecasters said.

Tuesday's morning low will be 45 degrees and Tuesday's high will climb to 63 degrees, they said.