LAS VEGAS — After 214 straight days with no measurable rain, a drizzle finally came to the Las Vegas Valley.
The National Weather Service on Thursday officially measured 0.01 inches of rain at Harry Reid International Airport, snapping one of the longest dry streaks in the city’s recorded history.
This is only the second time in 88 years that Las Vegas has experienced 200 days or more without rain, according to the National Weather Service. The last time precipitation fell over the valley was seven months ago, on July 13, 2024.
Still, the city’s record for longest stretch with no measurable rain stands at 240 days, a prolonged dry spell that occurred in 2020.
This winter has been unusually warm and dry for the region.
Almost all of southern Nevada is currently in the grips of “extreme” drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, which tracks conditions nationwide and releases weekly color-coded maps to show the extent and intensity of drought.
The Drought Monitor’s latest map, released Thursday, showed that more than 88% of the state is in some level of drought, with around 21% of Nevada now experiencing “extreme” or “exceptional” dry conditions.
Rain on Thursday fell across the desert regions of the Southwest, including over much of southern Nevada and in parts of California and Arizona.
“Exact rain amounts remain uncertain, as this is the first widespread rain event for the area in months,” the Las Vegas branch of the weather service said on X.
Snow is also expected at higher elevations. A winter storm warning is in effect for Nevada’s Spring Mountains area until Friday afternoon. Forecasts are projecting 12 to 24 inches of snow in the mountains, with even heavier snowfall at elevations above 8,000 feet, according to the weather service.
The precipitation is part of a storm system moving across southern Nevada on Thursday and Friday.
The weather service said Las Vegas could see between 0.5 inches to 0.9 inches of rain over the two days.
