Flash flood watch extends over valley throughout day

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Published Friday, Aug. 30, 2013 | 9:45 a.m.

Updated Friday, Aug. 30, 2013 | 5:55 p.m.

The holiday weekend is getting off to a rainy, humid start in the Las Vegas Valley.

The National Weather Service reported at about 9:15 a.m. that thunderstorms were moving up the east side of the valley. The storms are expected to continue to develop and spread into the rest of the valley over the next two hours, the NWS said on its Facebook page.

Minor street flooding has been reported in Boulder City and Henderson, and a few rainfall gages are recording upwards of .7 inches of rain in 30 minutes, according to the NWS.

Relative humidity was at 72 percent today at the NWS recording station at McCarran International Airport, where the average relative humidity in August is a dry 31 percent.

A flash flood watch is in effect for most of the region, including Southern Nevada, through 11 p.m. today. A flash flood warning for Mount Charleston was issued about 5:30 p.m. and is expected to last until 7:30 p.m. while a large thunderstorm dumps rain in the area affected by the Mount Charleston fire.

A flash flood warning for south central Clark County was issued just before 2 p.m. and lasted until 4 p.m. According to the National Weather Service a cluster of thunderstorms were moving near Nipton and Cima, and flash flooding is expected in washes, roadways and other low-lying areas.

Forecasters said slower-moving thunderstorms throughout the day have the potential to produce heavy rainfall in a short period of time, which could result in flash flooding. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to decrease in coverage across the area later this evening.

The chance of rain is 40 percent today and 30 percent tonight, according to forecasters, and precipitation remains in the Las Vegas forecast throughout the Labor Day holiday weekend.