Mount Charleston loses power due to strong winds
Gusty winds caused a power outage Sunday on Mount Charleston, according to NV Energy, but power will not be restored until 10 a.m. Monday as a precaution due to extreme fire weather conditions.
NV Energy spokeswoman Jennifer Schuricht said officials had been debating whether or not to turn off power to the area as a preventative measure Sunday, so when wind caused the outage, officials decided to keep it off through the morning.
Extra fire engines are standing by on the mountain, Schuricht said, adding that The Retreat on Charleston Peak is equipped with generators, chargers, snacks and ice for residents who may need it. About 450 NV Energy customers were without power as of 5:50 p.m., according to the agency’s online outage map.
Winds are expected to continue overnight, National Weather Service meteorologist Stan Czyzyk said. The Las Vegas area Sunday saw a high of 78 degrees with gusts of up to 59 mph in the mountains and 49 mph in the valley.
Wind Advisories are in effect for southwest winds gusting 40 to 50 mph across most of the region until 11 pm PDT this evening. Very high fire danger! Use caution with any sparks or ignition sources. #nvwx #azwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/0znG5P9Esg
— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) April 25, 2021
A red flag warning remains in place until 8 p.m. — an advisory that means continued winds and dry conditions make for ideal wildfire spread. A high wind advisory runs until 11 p.m.
A cold front moving into southwestern Utah and northeastern Arizona will keep the winds coming and bring a 20 percent chance of rain locally Monday into Tuesday. But Czyzyk said rain is unlikely.
“If anything, there may be a light sprinkle here and there, but nothing measurable,” he said.
Close to 100, just like last year
Czyzyk said a high of 69 degrees is expected Monday. Tuesday’s high is forecast at 70 before climbing to 83 on Wednesday, 90 on Tuesday, and 97 on Friday and Saturday. A high of 90 is expected Sunday.
The closing days of April 2020 brought similar heat to the valley. Last year, April 29 reached 99 degrees, April 30 reached 97 and May 1 reached 94.
The weather service has never recorded a 100-degree day during the month of April, but has previously recorded triple-digit temperatures each day in May. Czyzyk said this year isn’t expected to be different, but a 100-degree day isn’t out of the question.
The earliest recorded date that the valley has seen triple digits was May 1, 1947. The latest the valley has reached 100 degrees was June 30, 1965, with the normal being May 26.
Contact Alexis Ford at aford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexisdford on Twitter. Review-Journal staff writer Marvin Clemons contributed to this report.
