Valley weathers storm's high winds

A thunder storm packing winds reaching 50 miles an hour buffeted the valley Sunday night. The storm knocked down some power lines and dumped a small amount of rain on the valley.

National Weather Service spokesman Ron McQueen said that it was a typical storm with some strong winds.

"We had one unofficial report of a 70 mph gust in North Las Vegas between 7 and 7:30 p.m.," McQueen said. "On the whole gusts measured about 45 to 50 mph."

Nevada Power Co. crews responded to calls of downed power lines from the winds throughout the night. A company spokesman said that about 3,000 people had been without power for about an hour in the northeast and northwest valley.

Because of high winds on Friday night and Sunday's storm Nevada Power is still compiling the exact amount of damage to power lines around the city.

"The northwest and the outlying parts of the valley probably got hit the hardest along with some other areas around the state," McQueen said.

An observer in Pioche, in Lincoln County, recorded 1.6 inches of rainfall in about an hour. Scattered showers in Las Vegas stayed mostly in the northwest, McQueen said.

Las Vegas is likely to get some more windy weather when another storm system moves in tonight.

"We are still in a moist unstable atmosphere, so we could see some more weather tonight," McQueen said.

"It will probably be a little less severe and center more on the outskirts of town."

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