Tropical storm could bring more rain to Southern Nevada

By Ian Whitaker

Published Friday, Sept. 12, 2014 | 9:04 a.m.

Updated Friday, Sept. 12, 2014 | 10:31 a.m.

Southern Nevada could be in for a repeat of Monday’s intense storms that caused severe flooding in Clark County, washing out roads and damaging more than 100 homes in Moapa Valley.

Tropical Storm Odile is spinning off the western coast of Mexico and is expected to track a similar path as Tropical Storm Norbert, which caused heavy storm activity in southwest states earlier this week.

Odile is about 245 miles south of the Mexican coast, but it is strengthening and could become a hurricane by Friday night, according to the National Weather Service.

“It’s definitely something we’re keeping a close eye on,” weather service meteorologist Stan Czyzyk said.

Odile is expected to track roughly the same path west of Baja California as Norbert and is projected to be off the coast of Cabo San Lucas on Tuesday, the same day storm conditions will increase significantly in Southern Nevada, Czyzyk said.

“We’re going to get that big push of moisture,” he said. “It’s going to be similar to the last round.”

If weather predictions hold, storms could be expected to form over Clark County on Wednesday and Thursday, he said.

County flood officials said they have been “hyper-connected” with the weather service because of the potential for more flooding. They are being regularly briefed on Odile’s movements and have made sure detention basins and urban drainage systems are clear.

“We are ready,” Clark County Regional Flood Control District spokeswoman Erin Neff said.

The flood-control system is prepped to handle another storm of Monday’s size, but officials are worried about what could happen if storms hit Mount Charleston, she said. The mountain, susceptible to flooding after a wildfire last year stripped vegetation, was largely spared this week but may not be so lucky next time.

“It’s dangerous up there,” Neff said. “There are homes and people and lives at stake.”

In July, flooding damaged homes in the mountain’s Rainbow Canyon area.

The county has installed three additional rainfall gauges on Mount Charleston this summer to better monitor activity.

Flooding on Monday in Clark County washed out parts of Interstate 15 near Moapa, causing $5 million damage. The storm did more than $1 million damage to other roads.

Norbert reached its peak on Saturday off the coast of Baja California when it was classified as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of up to 120 mph. It faded quickly over the weekend and collapsed early Monday.