LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — March 20 marks the first official day of spring in 2023. The new season comes after winter delivered rain, several rounds of valley snow, and plenty of wind.
“It was windier than average in January and February. It was colder than average in January and February,’ said Channel 13 meteorologist Justin Bruce.
A series of about 10 atmospheric rivers dumped rain and snow across the West. In Southern Nevada— locals were surprised to see snow-packed parks in valley neighborhoods, some powerful and damaging winds, and frigid temperatures.
While the wind and the cold were more extreme than average, it may come as a surprise that our precipitation totals were not out of the ordinary.
National Weather Service data, which analyzes weather statistics that date back to the 1930s, shows the average precipitation for January and February combined is 1.36”. In January and February of 2023, Las Vegas saw 0.94” of precipitation.
The wet weather only seemed like a lot because the last decade or so has been drier than average.
“It's just that we've had so many warm and dry winters the more often than not the last several years. There were some exceptions, but kind of having a normal winter feels like a real busy winter that speaks more to the last decade or two than to anything else or to any future weather changes,” Bruce said.
Why the change this year?
“One of the reasons the storm track just ignored La Nina and came right on to our part of the West. I think some of that had to do with the polar vortex up by the North Pole never really breaking down and coming over to the eastern U.S. So they were warm, but we were a bit colder than average and busier than average weather-wise,” Bruce added.
This winter’s rainfall did help our drought, but we need any more years of above-average snowpack for Wyoming, Western Colorado and Eastern Utah to make a big impact- that snow would fill the Colorado River.
It took a decade or two to get into the drought, and it'll probably take about that long to get out of the drought. So, this was good, but it didn't solve the whole thing,” Bruce said.
We’re not done yet- models are predicting below-average temperatures and above-average precipitation in the first few weeks of spring.
