An air carrier captain reported that turbulence caused an altitude deviation on departure from las.

Attributes
ACN	511020
Time
Date	200105
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : redrock 2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	511020
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : regained aircraft control
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Departing out of las on redrock 2 departure, we were deviating and being vectored by las departure to avoid rapidly growing thunderstorms west and southwest of the airport. At 15000 ft assigned and level for 30 seconds (near oasys intersection), we received a strong updraft. I pushed forward on the yoke and stopped the climb at 15400 ft and returned to 15000 ft. No further incidents occurred. Departure frequency was totally saturated and we were unable to advise departure. We were switched to ZLA and continued as filed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT RPTED THAT TURB CAUSED AN ALTDEV ON DEP FROM LAS.

Narrative: DEPARTING OUT OF LAS ON REDROCK 2 DEP, WE WERE DEVIATING AND BEING VECTORED BY LAS DEP TO AVOID RAPIDLY GROWING TSTMS W AND SW OF THE ARPT. AT 15000 FT ASSIGNED AND LEVEL FOR 30 SECONDS (NEAR OASYS INTXN), WE RECEIVED A STRONG UPDRAFT. I PUSHED FORWARD ON THE YOKE AND STOPPED THE CLB AT 15400 FT AND RETURNED TO 15000 FT. NO FURTHER INCIDENTS OCCURRED. DEP FREQ WAS TOTALLY SATURATED AND WE WERE UNABLE TO ADVISE DEP. WE WERE SWITCHED TO ZLA AND CONTINUED AS FILED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.