FXUS65 KVEF 062248 AFDVEF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 348 PM PDT Sun Apr 6 2025 .SYNOPSIS...Temperatures across the region will return to normal today with the warming trend of the past few days continuing through the end of the work week. Dry conditions will also continue through the end of the week thanks to the ridge of high pressure building over the Western US. Winds will pick up across the western Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin on Monday with light winds returning on Tuesday and Wednesday. && .DISCUSSION...through next Sunday. Temperatures across the region will return to normal today, with afternoon high temperatures topping out around 5 to 10 degrees warmer than yesterday. This warming trend will continue through the end of the work week as an upper-level ridge builds over the Western US. A shortwave trough will move through the Pacific Northwest on Monday, flattening the ridge and bringing breezy westerly winds to the western Mojave Desert and eastern Sierra with breezy southerly winds across the southern Great Basin. Wind gusts in these areas will top out in the 25 mph to 35 mph range with isolated gusts up to 40 mph possible in areas of higher terrain. While this shortwave will flatten our upper-level ridge, it won't completely stop our warming trend, it will just slow it down from Monday to Tuesday. The upper-level ridge will begin rebuilding over the Western US on Tuesday and will continue to be the dominant synoptic feature across the west through the end of the work week. This will allow for our warming trend to continue through Friday with temperatures reaching 10 to 15 degrees above normal by mid-week and 15 to 20 degrees above normal by Friday. These hotter than normal temperatures will yield Minor HeatRisk (Level 1 of 4) across most of our forecast area by mid-week with Moderate HeatRisk (Level 2 of 4) in Death Valley and the Colorado River Valley. Moderate HeatRisk will affect those without adequate access to cooling or hydration as well as those who have not had the chance to acclimate to these temperatures. As such, make sure you stay hydrated and protect yourself from the sun if you have outdoor plans during the second half of the week. Forecast confidence decreases as we head into the weekend due to interensemble variability regarding the timing and the strength of an incoming system. Majority of the ECMWF members favor a solution with a weaker shortwave trough quickly moving through the Pacific Northwest over the weekend, whereas majority of the GFS ensemble members favor a solution with a deeper trough slowly moving through the area over the weekend. Given these differences in system strength and speed, it isn't surprising that the ECMWF mean solution has lighter winds and warmer temperatures over the weekend whereas the GFS mean favors cooler temperatures and stronger winds. Regardless of which of these solutions ends up panning out, we can still expect breezier conditions over the weekend with decreasing temperatures. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...For the 00Z Forecast Package...Light and variable/diurnal winds will continue through early Monday afternoon with speeds under 8KT. Around 22Z, winds are expected to shift to the southwest and increase to 10KT, with intermittent gusts to 15-20KT thereafter. There is low confidence for gusts to exceed 20KT at this time, though will monitor and make changes as needed. Otherwise, VFR conditions prevail with passing high clouds around 25kft. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...For the 00Z Forecast Package...KHND and KVGT will follow similar trends as KLAS, with elevated and gusty southwesterly winds expected to develop at both terminals around 21-22Z. At KBIH, gusty southwesterly winds will diminish before sunset, with winds becoming light and variable, before shifting to the west-northwest around 21Z and increasing to around 12KT. KDAG will see continued westerly winds, with gusts to 15-20KT developing this evening, and increasing Monday afternoon. In the Lower Colorado River Valley, light winds will continue at KIFP and KEED though 20Z, when winds shift to the south-southwest and increase to around 10KT. VFR conditions will prevail areawide, with FEW-BKN clouds with bases around 25kft. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && $$ DISCUSSION...Stessman AVIATION...Phillipson For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter