Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Flood advisory issued for Las Vegas

(Originally posted at 8:06 a.m.) Thunderstorms were popping up in southern Nevada this afternoon, bringing possible flooding in the Las Vegas Valley.

Beyond the Sun

The National Weather Service in Las Vegas has issued a flash flood advisory for southern Clark County in Nevada and northeastern San Bernadino County in southeast California.

At 5:12 p.m., a strong thunderstorm was developing just southeast of Indian Springs that was expected to produce heavy rain, wind gusts to 40 mph and possibly small hail on Highway 95 through 6 p.m., the weather service said. Drivers in the area should be alert for suddenly reduced visibility in heavy rain and ponding of water on the road, the weather service said.

About 3:25 p.m., the weather service said thunderstorms with heavy rain and wind gusts between 25 mph and 35 mph moved northeast at 10 mph along Interstate 16 between Primm and Jean, about 35 miles southwest of Las Vegas. A quarter inch of rain fell in 15 minutes in the area from Primm to Jean.

The weather service advises that motorists driving in the area along Interstate 15 should use caution and that they should aoid driving across flooded roadways.

A flash flood watch is in effect through midnight for an area that includes the Las Vegas Valley, Red Rock Canyon, Lake Mead National Recreation area, Sheep Range, northeast, southern and western Clark County, and Lincoln County in southern Nevada.

Scattered slow-moving thunderstorms this afternoon and evening are expected to bring the potential for heavy rainfall over the watch area. The storms could produce between one and two inches in an hour or less, with isolated downpours exceeding two inches, the weather service said.

"Runoff from intense rainfall can easily produce flash flooding of normally dry washes and also cause rapid runoff in urban areas," the weather service said.

Hot sticky weather is expected through the afternoon. Today's high will climb to 102 degrees, with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, the weather service said.

Tonight's skies will be partly cloudy, with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m. The low temperature will fall to 78, with north-northwest winds between 3 and 8 mph.

Drier, hotter weather is on the way after today. Friday's high will hit 105 and Saturday's temperature will soar to near 108 degrees, the weather service said.

On Wednesday, scattered thunderstorms rumbled through the valley, dropping heavy downpours in some neighborhoods and area cities.

Wednesday's rainfall reports showed:

• 0.01 of an inch at McCarran International Airport between 1 and 2 p.m. , and traces of rain through 4:56 p.m.

• An inch fell at Tropicana Avenue and Maryland Parkway.

• 0.39 of an inch fell in Blue Diamond, a rural community about 35 miles southwest of Las Vegas.

• Two-thirds of an inch in Arden, about 20 miles southwest of Las Vegas.

• An inch at Kyle Canyon, near Mount Charleston.

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