Area rain gauges getting a workout

LAS VEGAS SUN

Almost twice as much rain as normal has walloped the Las Vegas Valley so far this year, and forecasters are predicting more to fall today as the valley's summertime flooding dilemma continues.

As of midnight, a total of 4.84 inches of rain has been recorded in 1998 at the McCarran International Airport gauge, according to Ernie Cobb, weather service specialist for the National Weather Service.

The normal rainfall amount for this time of year, he said, is 2.64 inches.

Monsoon conditions dumped almost an inch of rain on the valley Tuesday when an afternoon storm moved in, congesting area traffic conditions and flooding intersections.

Tim Szymanski, Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman, said firefighters made three swift-water rescues between 3 and 6 p.m. at Durango Drive and Desert Inn Road -- one of the numerous roadways transformed into mini-lakes.

"The thunderstorm was most intense in The Lakes area, and all the water came rushing down Desert Inn (Road)," Szymanski said.

Firefighters effected rescues by pulling the bumper of their engine up to the side of the victims' cars so that they could crawl out the window and be carried to safety.

"About 30 minutes after the water receded, two of the three cars were able to drive away," he said. The third car, he said, had to dry out before it could be moved.

"The water comes in so quickly from so many different places. Even though it's only 2 to 3 feet deep, there's enough pressure there to keep you from being able to open your car door."

About 2,000 Nevada Power Co. customers lost electricity at various times throughout the afternoon storm.

There was also a report of a funnel cloud being seen in the clouds over Lake Mead, but the NWS reported that no serious conditions resulted.

Tuesday's storm resulted from the latter stages of an Arizona thunderstorm earlier in the day, Cobb said.

Measurements taken around Clark County recorded Valley of Fire state park as receiving 1.10 inches; Overton Beach, 0.80 inches and the Logandale-Moapa area, 0.70 inches.

By 10 p.m., Boulder City and Henderson had received about 0.40 inches of rain as drops continued to fall.

Monsoonal conditions and the continuing rain are keeping temperatures down.

"The conditions today are different," Cobb said. "We had rain, and the atmosphere is cooler ... but we'll be looking for conditions to be not as severe as far as thunderstorms go. They will be slower moving, and the downpours will not be as heavy."

Cobb described the predicted coming rain as somewhat of a "train effect," with one slow storm moving in, clearing out, and another following on its heels.

Flooded intersections Tuesday included: U.S. 95 at Jones and Charleston boulevards, Flamingo Road at Rainbow Boulevard, Vegas and Rancho drives, Lamb Boulevard from Cheyenne Avenue to Charleston, Vegas Valley Drive from Lamb to Eastern Avenue, Desert Inn Road at Eastern and Sahara Avenue at Pecos Road.

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