Good morning, Las Vegas — it's shaping up to be a soggy Christmas Eve in the Las Vegas Valley.
Keep your umbrella handy, because we expect wet weather to soak Southern Nevada throughout the afternoon. That might impact travel plans or some of your holiday traditions, so here's what you need to know.
Staying safe on the roads, wherever you're headed
If you are heading to California, rain could make the trip through the high desert treacherous. We reached out to the Nevada Department of Transportation to see what they're doing to prepare.
NDOT tells us it's focusing on state Route 160 — Blue Diamond Road — which you take over the hump to Pahrump, as they say. You could also see hairy conditions on state Route 164, connecting California to Searchlight, and at higher elevations in Lincoln County.
And of course, with a white Christmas on the way for our friends on Mt. Charleston, Lee and Kyle Canyon roads could be dangerous if you're not prepared. Lee Canyon's website is alerting skiers ahead of time that chains or all-wheel drive will likely be required this week. That means Nevada State Police troopers could check for them and your lift ticket before allowing you up the mountain.
If you plan to brave the wet weather, what can you do to prepare? Experts with AAA say you should make sure everything on your car is working properly before you head out, and make sure your gas tank is full. They also suggest packing an emergency kit with water and snacks. You should also plan your route ahead of time and make sure you have a backup route in case you encounter road closures or delays.
Inside the holiday rental car rush
Meanwhile, AAA predicts this holiday travel season will be another record-breaker, and that surge is putting pressure on the supply of rental cars nationwide. Our consumer reporter Shakeria Hawkins breaks down what travelers should expect if they're renting a car this holiday season.
Health District issues alert for Las Vegas airport travelers
A reminder of a recent warning from the Southern Nevada Health District about possible measles exposure at Harry Reid International Airport. Health officials say a traveler with measles passed through the D gates around 12 a.m. on Dec. 13.
Measles is a respiratory virus, and it can linger in the air for several hours after an infected person has left, SNHD warns. If you were in the airport at that time, you're advised to check your vaccination status and contact your health care provider.
One last thing before we go...
It's a Christmas Eve tradition families around the world look forward to every year: the North American Aerospace Defense Command is once again tracking Santa's journey as he delivers presents around the globe.
Families can watch Santa's sleigh move across the map in real time on the NORAD Santa tracker website, or pick up the phone to call and ask where he is. Good Morning, Las Vegas reporter Hailey Gravitt wanted to know how this all got started, so she spoke with Col. Matt Tromans at NORAD.
She found out this massive operation, powered by volunteers and the military, started with a single, accidental phone call decades ago.
"Well, from the first phone call to now, where we have almost 1,000 volunteers who are working this call center day in and day out, to be able to handle the volume of calls that is, I think last year we had 380,000 calls," Tromans said.
As of 6:40 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Santa was last spotted near Shanghai, China and headed for Taipei, Taiwan.
If you and your family want to track Santa this Christmas, visit noradsanta.org or call 877-HI-NORAD.