The same severe storm system that’s moving through California has caused an avalanche at a ski resort in southwestern Nevada, and several people are missing, according to Las Vegas police.
The avalanche occurred at the Lee Canyon ski resort, which is less than 50 miles from Las Vegas.
Search and rescue personnel with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department were “en route,” the department said on X. “We are trying to locate several people who are reported missing.”
More bad news… Lee canyon cannot even be plowed right now, because the snow is so deep and there’s a report of an avalanche at the ski hill… Five people missing… NHP is on the scene.
— Mt Charleston Mountain Man (@mountainman_mc) February 5, 2024
Some X users said five people were missing, but a trooper with the Nevada Highway Patrol, which responded to the scene Monday afternoon, said, “We don’t know that yet.”
The National Weather Service in Las Vegas warned people about a fierce winter storm hitting the region starting Sunday and extending through Tuesday. The storm is part of the same “band” of atmospheric river hovering over Southern California, where at least two people have died from falling trees.
Meteorologists in Nevada told travelers to expect one to three feet of snow above 6,000 feet and wind gusts up to 55 miles per hour.
“The storm is moving right into Southern Nevada at this time. Not much rain here but quite a bit of heavy snow in the mountains,” said Andrew Gorelow, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Las Vegas.