Storm system brings cloudy Sunday, rain chances to Las Vegas

By Jackie Valley

Published Sunday, March 20, 2011 | 10:43 a.m.

Updated Sunday, March 20, 2011 | 7:27 p.m.

Trace amounts of precipitation fell in the Las Vegas Valley on a gloomy Sunday, but forecasters said there's an increased chance of rain overnight.

"The best chance of precipitation is starting late tonight, probably after midnight," said Barry Pierce, a meteorologist at the Las Vegas office of the National Weather Service.

Today's high temperature reached 65 degrees amid cloudy skies and a 20 percent chance of rain, forecasters said. South winds were generally about 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph in some areas.

Forecasters originally predicted a 70 percent chance of rain tonight as lows dropped to 52 degrees. Sunday afternoon, however, they upgraded that chance of rain to 80 percent.

The cooler weather will stick around for the beginning of the week before edging back up Wednesday to a high of 68 degrees.

Monday will bring a 50 percent chance of showers with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 60. The sun will return Tuesday, but highs will only top out around 63 degrees, forecasters said.

Meanwhile, a winter storm warning was in effect Sunday for the Sheep Range, Spring Mountains, Red Rock Canyon and Mount Charleston areas. The warning was posted through 11 a.m. Monday for elevations above 6,000 feet, forecasters said.

A strong low-pressure system moving south along the California coast will move inland tonight and Monday, bringing blowing snow to higher elevations, forecasters said.

Snowfall will be heavy before tapering off Monday morning, with accumulations of 6 to 12 inches expected between 6,000 and 8,000 feet. One or 2 feet of snow is expected in even higher elevations.

South winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts near 35 mph near the ridges will be present during the winter storm.

Forecasters said the winter storm might cause travel difficulties on Highway 160 at Mountain Springs between Las Vegas and Pahrump.