Vegas Flights Resume After Record Snowfall

But Schools And Highways Remain Closed After Rare Snow Storm Blankets Sin City

(CBS/AP)  Flights resumed in and out of Las Vegas, but schools and highways were closed Thursday after a record-setting snowfall coated marquees on the Strip, weighed down palm trees and blanketed surrounding mountain areas.

The city awoke to clear weather after a storm that left 3.6 inches at McCarran International Airport. It was biggest December snowfall on record there, and the worst for any month since a 7½-inch accumulation in January 1979, forecasters said.

CBS News affiliate KLAS reports the winter storm dumped more than a foot of fresh snow at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort on Mt. Charleston.

The storm Wednesday and early Thursday also dumped snow or rain and snarled travel in other parts of Nevada, much of southern California and parts of northern Arizona.

"It looks like Whoville, all snowy, but with less joy and more extreme misery," said Calen Weiss, 19, who was stuck Wednesday when snow in the Cajon Pass east of Los Angeles disrupted travel on Interstate 15.

In Spokane, Wash., the weather service recorded 17 inches of snow in the 24 hours that ended at 4 a.m., breaking the record of 13 inches set in 1984. The city declared a "Condition Red" snow emergency, meaning crews will work 24 hours a day, seven days a week until they complete a full city plow.

For Las Vegas, the storm left heavy wet accumulations of snow along the famed Strip. At least one carport toppled under the accumulated weight, authorities said, and motorists in Henderson parked their cars and walked home when tires spun as they tried to navigate slippery uphill climbs.

Airlines resumed flights Thursday after canceling dozens of them late Wednesday, McCarran airport spokesman Jerry Pascual said.

"Visibility has lifted. The outlook for the day is much better," Pascual said as the sun rose Thursday. Pascual said just one flight had gotten out overnight and stranded travelers were forced to sleep on lounge seats and floors at the nation's sixth-busiest airport

In Arizona, snow was widespread in the state's higher elevations, with 24-hour accumulations reaching 10 inches in Flagstaff by daybreak. An additional 2 to 3 inches of snow was expected. Authorities said major highways were open but advised drivers to be careful of packed snow and ice.

In the western Washington state, the Seattle School District had been mocked by some for closing schools Wednesday with just a threat of snow. The threat became a reality by early Thursday, when 2 inches of snow left many commuters spinning their wheels on slippery roads.

The National Weather Service said the city even had an episode of "thundersnow" when a storm cell moved across Puget Sound.

Even Malibu, Calif., got a dusting of snow, as the usually balmy city saw a half-inch in the afternoon.

"It's kind of cool if you think about it, said Craig Levy, director of a juvenile detention camp. "It's kind of unusual to see snow in Malibu."

[taylorsucram]

Global Warming does not mean that it will get hotter and hotter. It means EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS. You know, stronger and more hurricanes, more heat waves, more snow, and apparently more fools will be born to deny mans'' impact upon this planet.

[brainteaser2]

I wonder what Vegas had for the over/under on this event occuring and who was taking bets?

[djsonev]

Hey renrivers and all others with their heads buried in the sand,

Check out the article under the SciTech section where NASA reported 2 trillion tons of land ice has melted since 2003. Some crazy myth? Ha!

[djsonev]

Well HawkSprings, Al Gore is not the scientist, he is a messenger making some of his own predictions based on the scientific fact that oceans are warming and ice caps are melting. I am in the scientific community myself and have never heard anyone say global warming doesn''t exist or is not in some part caused by humans. Ice cores taken from the polar regions have shown cycles of warming and cooling; however, the magnitude of warming in the last 50-60 years far surpasses any of the previous levels ever detected. This is scientific fact. It doesn''t take a rocket scientist to correlate our industrial revolution with the exponential increase in global temperatures. For those who think it is a conspiracy, why is trying to save the planet and overhaul energy into something better and sustainable bad? Follow the money trail. Those who try to refute global warming are only interested in one thing- their money (which must be tied to oil, coal, or something closely tied to fossil fuels). They (Republicans, Fox News) will relentlessly try to brainwash the undereducated into thinking it is a myth to save their pals in the fossil fuel industries.

[Renegade.Rivers]

Corrected - Sorry for the errors.

Over the past several years billions of dollars have been made off of the global warming scam, and now they want to put a carbon tax on what we breath out. Unfortunately carbon dioxide is what all plants live on, and without it they will wither and die.

It''s all the fault of the humans they want to have us believe but geological evidence does not bear this out, in fact the earth has been going through phases of warming and cooling for thousands of years.

They cry unlimitedly about global warming but fail to mention that our water is poisoned with fluoride and our food is fill with carcinogenics. The cry global warming but fail to mention that many of the medicines that are on the market today have not been properly tested by the FDA. They cry global warming but fail to mention that greedy bankers are making billions off of the bailouts. They cry global warming but ... you get the idea.

Al Gore is a part of the global elite, that will do anything to make a dollar, five dollars or a million dollars off of the unsuspecting masses.

There is no global warming they know it, they just aren''''t telling you, it is all a scam, and a bad one at that.

If you want to believe them go ahead, they got you on the hook you little minnow, and they aren''t going to let you go. Better to rip out a lip, than to let these monster get their hands on you.

[Renegade.Rivers]

Over the past several years billions of dollars have been made off of the global warming scam, and now they want to put a carbon tax on what we breath out. Unfortunately carbon dioxide is what all plants live on, and without they will wither and die.

Its all the fault of the humans they want to have us believe but geological evidence does not bear this out, in fact the earth goes through phases of warming and cooling for thousands of years.

They cry unlimitedly about global warming but fail to mention that our water is poisoned with fluoride and our food is fill with carcinogenics. The cry global warming but fail to mention that many of the medicines that are on the market today have not been properly tested by the FDA. They cry global warming but fail to mention that greedy bankers are making billions of of bailouts. They cry global warming but ... you get the idea.

Al Gore is a part of the global elite, that will do anything to make a dollar, five dollars or a million dollars off of the unsuspecting masses.

There is no global warming they know it, they just aren''t telling you, it is all a scam, and a bad one at that.

If you want to believe them go ahead, they got you on the hook you little minnow, and they aren''t going to let you go. Better to rip out a lip, than to let these monster get their hands on you.

[hawksprings]

djsonev
Thank you for enlightening us.
Now, please enlighten us on why Algore said in his book, "Earth in the Lurch" that we would not have winter anymore in our lifetimes.

[leeanna58]

The reason that Las Vegas was shut down over 3 1/2 inches of snow is that they don''t plan on snow and they don''t own any snow plows. The residents aren''t used to driving in it. We had 8 inches farther up I-15 where I live, and we were off to work and school as usual.

[jw4949]

you are right! i agree 100% %u263A

[djsonev]

Let me enlighten those who don''t look beyond the end of their nose to understand global climate change. We have one day of snow in an otherwise warm location. ONE DAY''S EVENTS (let alone one month''s or even a whole season''s) DOES NOT ERASE A 50+ TREND OF CONTINUOUS WARMING! It doesn''t matter if Vegas is covered in white for one day. The ocean temps speak for themselves. Such short-sightedness is how half of this country is ruining it for everyone on the planet.

[djsonev]

Let me enlighten those who don''t look beyond the end of their nose to understand global climate change. We have one day of snow in an otherwise warm location. ONE DAY''S EVENTS (let alone one month''s or even a whole season''s) DOES NOT ERASE A 50+ TREND OF CONTINUOUS WARMING! It doesn''t matter if Vegas is covered in white for one day. The ocean temps speak for themselves. Such short-sightedness is how half of this country is ruining it for everyone on the planet.

[jw4949]

For me i don''t believe that we have anything to do with global warming. I mean yah we let some nasty junk into the air. Scientists said long ago that the ice caps were going to be melting and the earth would recycle itself, but they had no idea when and how glodal warming has to do with a cycle.

[hawksprings]

Snowing in Vegas,
Snowing in Malibu,
Snowing in Chicago,
Snowing in New York,

It''s just Global Warming all over the place.

Didn''t Algore say in his book "Earth In The Lurch" that we would have no more winter in our lifetime?
Where is all this cold air to make snow coming from?

[ourtomorrows]

it must be global warming, oh wait, its snowing.

[sly_64]

One of the side effects of global warming is extreme changes in weather, warm or cold. It eventually evens out warmer, so the theory goes.

[setumstrt9]

"but, but, but, Global Warming"
-Al Gore-

[swingset4u]

canceling all flights in and out of the city...

Wow what a dusting of snow! Kind of pathetic that airlines can''t land in the desert when there is snow.

[Tundrajack]

@ms1-1-1 check your posting, you are the one who sounds retarded. Satellites burning passage ways for oil tankers---LOL-- you wacko conspiracy theorists crack me up!!

[psk123-2009]

The weather patterns are changing. Time to accept that as a fact. Satellites? I don''t think so. Global warming? Possible. The planet goes through a major climate shift every 10,000 years or so and we are about due. About every 100,000 years or so the entire planet goes through a major shift that lasts a very long time.

[louiville2]

Our SUV was nabbed
right from its space
replaced with two bicycles
on which we gave chase.

We knew it wasn%u2019t Santa
driving a big V8
so we had to pedal fast
before it was too late.

And out from his window
we heard a big shout
to all of his supporters
whose names he cried out.

On Hansen and Hansen
and Hansen and Hansen
on Obama and Obama
and Clinton and Clinton.

He peered in his mirror
and saw us behind
and enacted the plan
that he had in mind.

Gore reached into the stockings
and dropped all the coal
then shot down the road
like a puck to the goal.

There was no way to catch him
or his carbon tax crew
so we%u2019ll wait until next Christmas
and try it anew.

And as he got further
he shouted with might:
%u201CMerry Global Warming to All%u201D
%u201CAnd to all a cold night!%u201D