Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Flash flood warning issued as county braces for a wet weekend

Rain in Red Rock

Tom Gorman

Rain falls over Red Rock Canyon on Friday afternoon, Sept. 6, 2013.

Updated Friday, Sept. 6, 2013 | 3:51 p.m.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning this afternoon for central Clark County as thunderstorms bringing heavy rain and strong winds move into Southern Nevada.

The warning marks the beginning of what is expected to be a soggy weekend, with moisture from a tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean making its way to Las Vegas by Sunday.

The flash flood warning is in effect until 4:45 p.m., and the main areas of concern are Lone Mountain and Summerlin, Meteorologist Dan Berc said.

“We are going to have scattered thunderstorms throughout the afternoon and into the evening hours,” he said.

The thunderstorms caused air traffic controllers at McCarran International Airport to change the direction of aircraft departures and approaches, McCarran spokeswoman Christine Crews said.

The change led to gate holds and delays from 45 minutes to an hour, according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s airport status website.

The storms are expected to generate winds between 35 and 40 mph, something boaters should take notice of before heading out on Lake Mead, Berc said.

By Sunday, precipitation from Tropical Storm Lorena, off the coast of Baja, Mexico, is due to arrive in Southern Nevada, Berc said.

Saturday and Sunday, isolated thunderstorms are expected with high temperatures reaching the upper 90s and lows around 80 degrees. More rain from the tropical storm is expected in the first part of next week, with high temperatures in the low 90s and the low temperature in the upper 70s.

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