Epic Storm: Snow Coming to Vegas and Many Other Unusual Places

A rare, very cold storm dropping south from Oregon sets the stage for snow in places that don’t get much snow and plenty of travel problems.

Here is the latest AccuWeather.com snowfall forecast for the Southwest from Tuesday night through Thursday.

Here are some of the important details:

- A rain shower or two can occur anytime in Central California Tuesday with more toward the Central Valley than along the coast. Snow levels will drop to 2,000 feet. Any shower could contain sleet or graupel in the afternoon and evening hours below the snow level. Following this, three consecutive very cold nights are in store Tuesday night through Thursday night in all the Central Valley and Central Coastal valleys with a freeze or hard freeze. There will even be wind with the extreme cold Tuesday night.

- A few showers develop mainly late morning or afternoon Tuesday in Southern California with snow levels initially at, or just below, 5,000 feet but quickly dropping to 2,000 feet by evening and night. More showers are likely in the deserts, mountains and adjacent valleys than at the coast around Los Angeles, but more frequent showers are likely in San Diego County. Tuesday night into Wednesday what falls in the Upper Desert will be all snow with an average of 1 to 3 inches likely. Due to the showery nature, accumulations can vary quite a bit. The mountains will be pick up 3 to 6 inches of snow above 3,500 feet with an 1 to 3 inches down to 2,000 feet. Some of the higher valleys spots could easily see snowflakes, and it is entirely possible some place picks up a coating. The BIG PROBLEM will be travel, especially in the Upper Deserts. Heavily traveled I-15, parts of I-40 and highways 395 and 14 are going to get very icy and snow covered. It is entirely possible that sections of these roads may need to be closed. Travel in the mountains will be on snow covered roads, and chains will be a must. I-5 will also have snow and ice on it, but I suspect showers will not be as numerous here as to the east. I-8 in eastern San Diego County will also have potential major problems. Once the storm leaves, expect Wednesday night and Thursday night to be very cold with valleys having widespread frost and even in spots a hard freeze each night. The Upper Deserts are likely to sink into the teens to low 20s.

- Las Vegas will get snow; how much is the question. Most likely 1 to 3 inches on average with the outlying areas and east of the Strip perhaps getting the most. The record official snowfall in Las Vegas was 3.6 inches on Dec. 18, 2008, with Henderson getting as much as 8 inches of snow from that storm. The most snow is likely from very late Tuesday night into Wednesday night. It’s uncertain how this storm impacts the huge fireworks extravaganza New Year's Eve. Even if it does go off on schedule, it is going to be brutally cold by Vegas standards to stand out on the Strip.

- The heaviest snow is coming to parts of southern Utah and northern and eastern Arizona with a band of 6 to 12 inches likely above 6,000 feet but several inches down to 2,500 to 3,500 feet. I would expect snowflakes to fall at lower elevations than that for a time. Here the greatest snow falls Wednesday, Wednesday night and part of Thursday then tapers off later Thursday. Needless to say all roads within the snow area on the map will become snow covered and very slippery. I-40, the major west-east road in the north, will be especially hazardous.

This is one heck of a way to ring out the old year and ring in the new. If you live in any of these areas more caution than normal traveling is advised. In some cases, it might be wise to adjust your plans.

You can follow me on Twitter @Kenwxman.