Rare snow in Las Vegas & a freeze for California on New Year Eve

December 31, 2014 3:38 PM | Skymet Weather Team

If cold arctic air invades in USA, if is neither new or unusual, if it leads to snowfall that is no great shakes either, as it happens all the time, but if it snows in Las Vegas, it is unusual and if it happens around new year eve it becomes rare!
The records, maintained from 1937, clearly indicate that snowstorms have only 15 times caused more than an inch of snow. The only snowstorm on New Year day was in 1974, when snow accumulated up to 5.5inches.

So, if prediction come true and snowstorm does materialize over Las Vegas, there will be many places in Midwest and mid -Atlantic which will have snow accumulations, leading to traffic snarls and disruptions. This storm will bring snow to not only mountains of four seasons, but also Nevada and southern California, including some low elevation locations.

As this snowstorm moves further southwest, higher elevations of southern California will also receive snowfall, which will be heavy enough to cause ice and snow covered roads Cajon and Tejon passes on Wednesday.

Travel delays and road closures may also be expected along Arizona and New Mexico, where up to 6-8inches snow is likely. Snow and sleet are very much on the cards for places like Phoenix, Yuma, Arizona, Palm Springs, California.

As this cold snap will grip entire west, people participating in outdoor New Year's eve festivities will need to protect themselves against freezing cold, as temperature will dipwell below zero in Montana &highs will settle in 30s in parts of SW desert.
For throngs of people lining up the streets Pasadena, California, for Roses Parade on 1st of Jan 2015, temperature will plunge to near freezing point during early morning and rise up to 40s during daytime in sunshine.

 

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