LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas residents woke up to a stunning sight as snow covered the Spring Mountains and Sheep Range, providing both a beautiful visual and welcome news for the local snowpack.
Lee Canyon resort reported a whopping 22 inches of snow in 24 hours!
 Geneva Zoltek, KTNV |  Geneva Zoltek, KTNV |  Geneva Zoltek, KTNV |
The overnight winter storm brought temperatures cold enough at lower elevations for precipitation to fall as snow around the outskirts of the valley. At higher elevations, though, the cold was even more significant.
Lee Canyon's weather station recorded temperatures dropping to single digits early this morning, reaching as low as 4 degrees Fahrenheit!
As far as official snow totals, here's what our local National Weather Service office is tracking:
Despite this recent snowfall, snowpack measurements at the Spring Mountains and throughout the Colorado River Basin remain below average for this time of year.
It's because we've dealt with above-average warmth and dry conditions for about two months, which we've been tracking across the West.
Here's the SNOTEL data for Bristlecone Trail, at just about 9,000ft in the Spring Mountains. As you can see, we're currently still below the 30-year median for this time of year.
However, all water accumulating in higher elevations remains meaningful and beneficial. This moisture ultimately feeds natural springs and the groundwater system in Southern Nevada, with some drainage even flowing back toward Lake Mead through the Las Vegas Wash.
As a reminder, while this does our local ecosystem some good, Southern Nevada's primary water supply comes from snow in the Colorado Rockies.
WATCH | Snow blankets Las Vegas valley mountains as winter storm brings much-needed moisture
More Weather Impacts:
This winter storm system delivered more than just snow to Southern Nevada over the past 48 hours. We've tracked wind gusts reaching around 50 miles per hour at Harry Reid International Airport, Red Rock and Kyle Canyon.
In addition, rain gauges from the flood district recorded varying precipitation amounts across the valley. Red Rock received 0.98 inches of rain, while the Cactus and Durango site measured 0.51 inches. Pioneer Drive in Henderson recorded 0.47 inches.
The heavy rainfall didn't cover the entire valley uniformly, as Harry Reid has only measured 0.03 inches of rain this month.
A continued pattern wet conditions is expected to help boost moisture levels not just in Southern Nevada, but throughout the western United States through the end of the month.
Here's a look at the CPC outlook for the United States through February 28th:
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